10 



YEARBOOK, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE 



[Vol. III. 



by hundreds of Bonaparte and Herring Gulls which could be seen all 

 day long either flying up and down the beach or noisily squabbling 

 out on the bars. Figure 3 shows a typical scene on Little Tail. 



This type of beach was well suited to the Spotted Sandpipers and 

 their cheery calls could be heard most any time as they flew up ahead 

 of us, and out over the water. The heavy growth of bushes and grasses 

 offered abundant shelter for their nests, several of which we found and 

 photographed. 



We soon had enough nesting birds under observation to keep us on 

 the jump, and between times we collected desirable specimens to com- 



FlG. 4. — Young American Bitterns. 



plete some particular group. When weather conditions permitted, we 

 would spend as much time as possible photographing the nests and 

 young, and this, at times, was an exceedingly difficult task, as it often 

 took us many minutes to get our 5x7 view camera properly set, while 

 keeping our nervous little subjects in focus. If the sun was alternately 

 bright and hidden by clouds, it added to our difficulty and usually 

 while waiting for good light the little fellows would squirm into any but 

 the desired position, and adjustments would have to be made all over 

 again. Great care was always taken to "snap" the nestlings in a most 



