AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



317 



they sped over the ground, reminding one of the sheep with which the 

 island is also inhabited. These young Gulls, for such they were, we 

 found to be the most lively youngsters that we had ever handled. They 

 could, and would upon the slightest provocation or, in fact, no provo- 

 cation at all, run like deer and hide themselves under the nearest stump 

 or fallen limb. 



We were very much disappointed not to find a single occupied nest 

 containing eggs. Several of them had single eggs which had not 

 hatched but not one had a complete set or even young which were not 

 large enough to run all over the island. The part of the island used by 

 the birds was composed of hills and hollows covered with a carpeting 

 of grass now almost worn off with the tramping of the birds feet; many 

 dead pine stumps were standing, some with branches, others with none; 

 and a great many more had fallen down making large inpenetratable 

 barriers that must be climbed over or gone around. At the foot of 

 every stump and under every prostrate trunk were one or more hollows 

 in the ground, denoting where a nest full of little Gulls had been raised. 



The young Gulls hid among the rocks and their black and gray 

 plumage harmonized beautifully with their surroundings. 



