°8gg J Fifteenth Couffi-css of the A. O. U. A'l 



the work, or flying to and fro overhead, keeping up tlieir continual 

 cries from sunrise to sunset. At low tide they congregated along 

 the beach in search of food, or sunned themselves from the tops 

 of the large boulders. I have observed them at times following 

 up and feeding on the schools of mackerel, which is certainly a 

 beautiful sight, reminding one, as they dodge about each other, of 

 a kaleidoscope in rotation. 



The five weeks which I spent on the island, from August 26 

 to October i, inclusive, being after the breeding season had 

 closed, my information has been carefully collected from a large 

 number of persons whose statements I have no reason to doubt, 

 and who were not only eye witnesses, but participants in the 

 spoils. 



I am also informed by good authority that the Government 

 intends erecting another gun on the east end of the island ; if 

 such be the case, it will consume all the earth from the remaining 

 portions of the island, to form the breastworks, which will virtually 

 leave nothing of Great Gull Island beyond the fortifications, and 

 will completely destroy it as a resort for Terns. 



FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE AMERICAN ORNI- 

 THOLOGISTS' UNION. 



The Fifteenth Congress of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union was held in New York City, November 8-1 1, 1S97. The 

 business meeting took place on the evening of November 8 in the 

 ' Board Room ' of the American Museum of Natural History. 

 The public sessions, lasting three days, were held in the Library 

 of the Museum. 



Business Session. — The meeting was called to order by 

 Vice-President Dr. C. Hart Merriam, in the absence of the Presi- 

 dent, Mr. William Brewster. Eighteen Active IMembers were 

 present. The Secretary's report gave the membership of the 

 Union at the opening of the present Congress as 679, constituted 

 as follows : Active, 46 ; Honorar3% iS ; Corresponding, 68 ; Asso- 

 ciate, 547. 



