The Audubon Societies 



229 



sea-level. Our patrol boat "The Dutcher," 

 was also severely damaged, and, as a 

 result, has since been out of commission 

 most of the time. A careful estimate of 

 the number of sea-birds actually raised 

 the past summer is as follows: 



Roval Terns 400 



Wilson's Terns 700 



Black Skimmers 650 



Laughing Gulls 750 



Least Terns 566 



Cabot's Terns 25 



3,09! 

 — T. Gilbert Pearson. 



RESERVATION NOTES 

 Tortugas Reservation 



At last we have a good colony of nests 

 of the Least Tern on both the northern 

 and southern ends of Loggerhead Key. 



The rats are so reduced that I cannot 

 catch more than one or two each week. 

 They seem to be unable to resist a guillo- 

 tine trap baited with smoked herring. 



I doubt if the birds will lose any of 

 their young, and, being now empowered 

 to protect them, I hope to have a fine 

 colony here in a few years. — Alfred G. 

 Mayer, July 13, 1908. 



Inspection of Breton Island Reservation, 

 Louisiana 



July 22. — Visited Barrel Key, the eas- 

 ternmost point of a shell reef south of 

 Creole Gap. About seventy-five Least 

 Terns, flying over the Key, were observed 

 here, and two newly hatched birds of this 

 species were found on the broken shell. 

 Captain Sprinkle had previously visited 

 this Key and estimated the number of 

 birds at about 200 adults, and had found 

 several young birds on the Key. 



At noon we visited Martin Island Key, 

 and found approximately 400 adult 

 Skimmers and about 100 nests, averaging 

 three eggs, or young, to each nest. The 

 proportion of young to eggs was about 

 one to three. Most of the young were 

 newly hatched, and the sun caused a 



heavy mortality among them; at least 25 

 per cent of these appeared to have died 

 in this way. 



July 23. — Spent the day at Southwest 

 Harbor Key. Young Royal Terns, three 

 to four weeks old, and just learning to 

 fly, were massed together on the beach. 

 There were about 2,500 of these. The 

 Cabot's Terns were all on the wing, and 

 the majority of those present appeared to 

 be adults. The adult strength of this colony 

 at the beginning of the season, according 

 to Captain Sprinkle's estimates, was about 

 2,500 each of Cabot's and Royal Terns. 

 About 1,000 adult Royal Terns were 

 present at this time. 



July 24. — Left anchorage at Southwest 

 Harbor Key at 7 a. m. Laid out a direct 

 course to Battledore Island, due south- 

 west., wind east; arrived at 1.30 p. m. 

 Of Black Skimmers, adults on the wing, 

 estimated the number at about 2,500. 

 There were probably 1,000 young Skim- 

 mers about ready to fly, and 300 Skimmer 

 nests averaging two eggs, young, or young 

 and eggs, to the nest. 



About 1,000 adult Laughing Gulls 

 present and 2,000 young, most of them 

 able to fly. There was an equal number 

 of adult and young Royal Terns, most of 

 the latter about ready to fly. 



The number of Caspian Terns was not 

 over twenty; several were guarding nests 

 containing either eggs or newly hatched 

 young. Cabot's Terns had nearly 500 

 eggs and young. There were probably 

 300 adults present. Louisiana Herons 

 had nearly completed incubation, while 

 many large nestlings were found. The 

 total number of adults and young was 

 estimated at 500. 



Forster's Terns had practically finished 

 their nesting, and few were seen about 

 the island. 



After exploring Battledore Island, we 

 sailed to Hog Island, and landed on the 

 easternmost of the three parts into which 

 it has been cut. There were few birds 

 here, but Captain Sprinkle had noted 

 many at the beginning of the season, and 

 this island, with protection, will doubtless 

 prove a valuable nesting-place. 



