280 Mackay, The Terns of Penikese Island, Mass. Taly 
To convey a better idea of the status of the Terns domiciled 
on Penikese Island, it may, perhaps, be well to refer to its history 
during the past fifty years, in order that the reader may know 
with what persistency these birds have retained their love of 
home, notwithstanding the trying ordeals they have been subjected 
to during this period. Considering that the island is small, and 
composed of two elevated portions connected by a stony beach, 
with little or no sheltering verdure for the concealment of their 
eggs or young, the hard green turf being kept closely fed by over 
one hundred sheep, it was not without surprise that I witnessed 
the perseverence of these birds. 
It would appear that about fifty years ago Charles Gifford 
inherited Penikese Island from his father; he sold it to Captain 
John Flanders, a pilot of Marthas Vineyard, who in turn sold it to 
Captain Beriah Manchester, master of a whaling vessel, who after 
keeping it about six or seven years, sold it to Mr. John Anderson, 
of New York, who built a large addition at the southern side 
of the old Flanders house and connected it with an annex built 
by Captain Manchester. This house at present is nearly sur- 
rounded by the only trees (large-toothed poplar, Populus grand- 
zdentata, and red maple, Acer rubrum) growing on the island, they 
having been introduced there. They have reached a medium 
height, but are doing only fairly well, the struggle for existence 
apparently being severe. Mr. Anderson had used Penikese 
Island as a summer home for four or five years, when Professor 
Louis Agassiz of Cambridge, Mass., was in quest of a location for 
a school of natural history. It resulted in Mr. Anderson’s pre- 
senting the island, in March, 1873, together with an endowment 
of fifty thousand dollars, to Professor Agassiz for this purpose. 
The gift was coupled with the condition that in case the school 
should ever be abandoned the island should revert again to Mr. 
Anderson. The school was continued until the death of the 
senior Agassiz, and for about a year afterwards, under the super- 
vision of his son, when it was given up, and Mr. Anderson 
consequently again came into possession of Penikese. After 
Mr. Anderson’s death, his executors sold it to Mr. McGroughty of 
New York City and Messrs. George S. and F. A. Homer of New 
Bedford, Mass., who held it in common for about five years, at 
