State Reports 



323 



bred on Great Wass Island all sought a new breeding place. This the war- 

 den attributes to the fact that Wass Island was stocked with foxes. 



Warden Cummings, of Wash Island, gives a very excellent reason why 

 laws should be passed throughout the country removing the smaller members 

 of the order Limicolae or Shore Birds, commonly known as Peeps or Sand- 

 peeps, from the game laws. They are too beautiful and interesting, and are 

 too much a part of the life of the seashore, sand-bars or salt meadows to be 

 slau-ghtered. Their bodies are too small to be of value as food, and shooting 

 them for any other purpose is grossly cruel. There is certainly no more 

 beautiful sight than to see a flock of these graceful little creatures swirling 

 about over the strand or daintily running about on the wet sands or kelp- 

 covered rocks. Let the Audubon Societies voice their sentiments in this 

 matter ; it will do good work. The warden writes : "There are hundreds 

 of little Sandpeeps on this and Cone Island, and they form in flocks and sit 

 on the shore. Gunners come here and slaughter them awfully, for it is no 

 trick to fire into a big flock of them and kill and wound a large number. 

 After the gunners have been here my children bring in very many wounded 

 ones, some with broken wings, or legs shot off, or eyes shot out, in all shapes. 

 The gunners don't get half they shoot down. It seems a shame to kill 

 these poor little things, and I hope some time in the near future there will 

 be protection for them, with a heavy fine attached." The warden also 

 writes that the Gulls in his charge are very tame, and that the colony, which 

 is a small one, is steadily increasing in size. Crows did some damage by eat- 

 ing eggs, but effectual means were taken to keep them away. 



One of the largest Herring Gull colonies in the United States is located 

 on the Great and Little Duck Islands. They are in charge of Capt. William 

 F. Stanley, keeper of the light station. Both Mr. and Mrs Stanley have 

 always taken a great interest in the protection of these birds, and the reports 

 furnished are of great interest and value. That of this year is as follows : 



URhGUN CORMIJRANT ISLAND, 25 FEET WIDE BY 

 CONTAINING 190 CORMORANT NESTS 

 Photographed by Finley and Bohlman 



FEET LONG, 



