Reports of Field Agents 



555: 



REPORT OF HOWARD H. CLEAVES ON VIRGINIA 

 COAST COLONIES 



In company with Mr. Francis Harper, I left New York on the night of 

 July 24, 191 1, at nine o'clock, and at eight o'clock on the following morning 

 we were on Cobb's Island, Virginia. Immediately after breakfast, we set out for 

 a section of the marsh back of the Cobb's Island Club House, where Mr. 

 George Isdell, the proprietor, assured us that we should find Laughing Gulls, 

 nesting. 



The colony behind the club house we found to be a very small one, being 

 made up of perhaps not more than a dozen pairs. After some searching, we 



GATHERING SEA-BIRD EGGS FOR FOOD ON COBB'S ISLAND, VIRGINIA 

 Photographed by Howard H. Cleaves 



succeeded in locating several nests, most of which had been wrecked, appar- 

 ently by flood tides. We were informed that the main colony of Laughing 

 Gulls was farther to the north, but we did not have time to visit this area. 

 Mr. Isdell also told us that the Black Skimmers nested in the northern section 

 of the island, in small numbers. 



On the morning of July 26, we were transferred from Cobb's Island to- 

 Wreck Island, several miles distant, where we camped on the open sand-dunes, 

 until Friday, July 30, studying and photographing the Black Skimmers that, 

 were attempting to nest there. 



