State Reports 325 



Warden Johnson, of Swans Island, says in his report: "I could not dis- 

 cover that any Eider Ducks or Sheldrakes bred in this section this year. 

 The reason for this, I think, is the great number of fishing boats which are 

 in the habit of fishing so close to the breeding places. The Gull colonies 

 are in better condition than ever before. At John's Island the young were 

 quite plentiful and tame. At Huron Island the Gull colony, has apparently 

 more than doubled. The owners complain that the birds are ruining their 

 sheep pasture on account of the large amount of bird lime. The old birds 

 were very tame, and remained sitting on the tree topswhile we passed within 

 thirty or forty feet of them. A conservative estimate of the number of 

 young hatched on this island would be i ,200. The Night Herons seem to be 

 holding their own, if not gaining. The Blue Heron seem to be slowly going 

 down in numbers. 



"The largest colony of Herring Gulls on the Maine coast, if not in the 

 United States, is at No-Man's-Land, which is owned by Captain Mark 

 Young, who acts as warden. He reports that "from eight to ten thousand 

 Gulls returned home the last of March and commenced to nest in April. 

 They were not molested, — not a bird shot or egg taken, (^ver 4,000 young 

 were raised." 



Captain James E. Hall, warden at Matinicus Rock, reports: "Six 

 Puffins were seen here. About 10, OOO Terns returned to the Rock May 18, 

 but they have done the poorest this season of any since I have been here. 

 They laid as usual, but the week they were hatching there was a rain-storm 

 which lasted two days and the young were drowned in their nests. I do not 

 think more than 1,000 were raised." 



Mr. McCorrison, of whom Metinic Green Island is leased, reports that 

 about 4,000 Medrics (Terns) arrived May 3, and remained until September 2. 

 He says : "I think it is a safe estimate that the colony has doubled this year." 



The warden at Eagle Island, which is located well up in Penobscot Bay, 

 reports that the "Terns are far more numerous this year than last, in this 

 locality." This is very gratifying, as these birds, before protection was given 

 them, were well-nigh exterminated. On the Channel Rocks, over 100 nests 

 were counted. 



Warden Cushman reports that the Terns of Blufif Island were very tame, 

 and that one could walk to within a few feet of them while on the beaches. 

 "I never knew the people to protect them as they do this year." 



The Association this year extended the protection service to the Mt. 

 Kineo region Warden Harlow makes the following interesting report : 

 "My principal work has been protection for the two species of Gulls which 

 annually breed in large numbers about the numerous inland lakes of this 

 section, but I have also given some attention to Partridges anil song-birds, 

 such as Robins, Song Sparrows, Chickadees, Wrens, Crossbills, Woodpeck- 

 ers and the sweet -singing Hermit Thrush. 



