120 



THE OOLOGIST. \<^{^) 



to the exposure the incubation is large- 

 ly accomplished by the sun's rays, and 

 the birds do not constantly sit upon the 

 eggs. In the same locality with the 

 Skimmers, we found a number of Gull- 

 billed Terns nesting, their eggs laid in 

 depressions in the sand and averag- 

 ing four to a set, though several of 

 three were found. 



Formerly the Royal Tern nested in 

 great colonies at this part of the island, 

 but not a bird of this species was no- 

 ticed. Mr. Robert Ridgway found the 

 Royal Tern in great abundance on the 

 beach when he visited the locality 

 many years previous (See Davies' Nests 

 and Eggs) and records that its eggs 

 were so thick on the beach, that it was 

 with difficulty that he walked without 

 stepping on them. The Caspian Tern 

 also formerly bred abundantly on the 

 isl<ind, but w© did not notice its eggs 

 on our visit. 



Thousands of Least Terns (Sterna 

 antillarum) used to nest on the island, 

 but, alas ! they have all been sacrificed 

 to the millinery trade, thousands of 

 them having been shot by mercenary 

 hunters who sold the skins to dealers 

 in New York. Not a single specimen 

 did we see, and the Captain informed 

 me that it had been a long time since 

 he had observed the species on the 

 island. The Willet is another species 

 that has decreased on the island. I 

 only saw a few pairs. 



But now, Cobb's Island is not what it 

 used to be. The ocean has made great 

 inroads upon it and it has greatly de- 

 creased in area. The little hotel has 

 been washed away, and the birds are 

 not as numerous as formerly. But 

 there is an abundance of bird life re- 

 maining. The Skimmers and Gulls 

 are in great numbers yet and the col- 

 onies are still interesting. The col- 

 lecting days for the island, however, 

 are over. All sincere oologists must 

 certainly appreciate that there is a 

 marked decrease of bird life through- 



out the country. There is no excuse 

 nowadays for basketfuls of eggs. 

 What remains of these Cobb's Island 

 colonies, will be protected. The A. 

 O. U. has already taken measures to 

 this end, and happy is the thought, that 

 for many days to come Cobb's Island's 

 feathered population, a delight to the 

 eye of the bird lover, unmolested and 

 protected, will increase as the years 

 roll by. 



John W. Daniel, Jr., 

 Lynchburg, Va. 



Some Twice Occupied Nests and Other 

 Notes. 



On Jnly 1, 1897, at Torresdale, this 

 county, I took a set of three eggs and 

 nest of the Great-crested Flycatcher 

 from a large knot hole 20 inches deep, 

 10 feet up in an apple tree. 



On May 2, 1898, I took a set of three 

 eggs of the Flicker from the hole cap- 

 turing the female sitting on them which 

 I gave its liberty 



May 7 took set of 5 eggs again cap- 

 turing the bird which again was releas- 

 ed. On May 28 the hole contained 8 

 two-third inoubated eggs. Captured 

 the Flicker brooding them and let her 



go. 



On April 18, 1899, found a Screech 

 Owl roosting in the hole. It has not 

 since been used. 



June 9. 1898, took a set of five Flick- 

 er's eggs from cavity excavated in a 

 maple stub 15 feet up Oa April 15, 

 1899, from the hole took a fresh egg 

 and the female Sere'^ch Owl (gray). 

 The owl lived only two days and dis- 

 secting her I obtained another egg and 

 found 5 small eggs in her ovary. 



June 27, 1898, at the above locality 

 (Frankford) took two eggs of the Red- 

 headed Woodpecker from a cavity 30 

 feet up in a maple stub. This hole had 

 been used since during 1899, '00, '01 by 

 Passer domesticus . 



On July 20, 1900, at Riverton, N. J., 



