JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



27 



young birds' mouths. ' 



The fish being too large for its stom- 

 ach to receive, remained in that posi- 

 tion until digestion caused it to slowly 

 disappear from sight. 



The forenoon was then well advanc- 

 ed and, as we wished to visit another 

 rock a mile distant to the south, we 

 hastened to collect such other materi- 

 al as could be found. 



On the shore exposed by low tide, 

 Mr. Norton found a group of six Least 

 Sandpipers (Tringa minutilla) Vieill, 

 of which a specimen was captured 

 that was in worn nuptial plumage. 



Having collected some plants of in- 

 terest and secured a Common Tern 

 with its downy young, the only ones 

 found during our trip, we prepared to 

 leave for the next rock. 



During all our stay on the island, 

 the terns were constantly approaching 

 and leaving the island, high over our 

 heads, which only too plainly convinc- 

 ed us of the persecutions the' birds had 

 already met with on their breeding 

 grounds. 



Twenty-one of the Laughing Gulls 

 were then counted which, no doubt, 

 represented the size of the colony 

 which were trying to breed there; as 

 that was the largest number seen at 

 one time by us during our stay. 



Returning to our camp we then 

 made ready to leave. 



Launching our boat and loading in 

 our outfit, we started for the southern 

 rock. 



As we rowed away from the island 

 the terns and gulls were seen flying 

 over their breeding grounds. 



Some would poise in air and with 

 steady beating of their wings, would 

 remain thus for some moments, close- 

 ly scanning the locality of their nests. 



A row of half an hour against a 

 southwest wind and chop, brought us 

 to the other rock. 



There, owing to the heavy surf upon 



the rocks, we could not haul our boat 

 out; watching the sea, I succeeded at 

 a favorable moment, in landing Mr. 

 Norton on the island, and rowing 

 away from the line of surf, waited for 

 him to make the necessary observa- 

 tions. 



This rock was about the size of the 

 one we had left, but supported much 

 less vegetation. 



The western shore was composed of 

 a coarse Porphyritic gneiss, the large 

 square like feldspar crystals showing- 

 very vivid on the surf wet rock. 



Three black guillemots were noticed 

 sitting on the water, acting the same 

 as those observed at the first rock, but 

 with no objects in their bills as at the 

 former place. 



Three were also seen to fly from out 

 among a pile of angular shaped blocks 

 of granite, at high tide limit; and later 

 Mr. Norton's efforts were rewarded by 

 finding an egg of that species. 



As Mr. Norton reached the north- 

 eastern shore of the island, he again 

 started the falcon of the day before. 

 which was perched on the edge of a 

 high, rounded ledge. 



At his presence it took flight and 

 flew around the north end of the is- 

 land to return to the first rock, when 

 an ineffectual charge of small shot, fol- 

 lowed by a larger from my gun, re- 

 minded it that if it did not observe 

 the laws of Maine, it would be taught 

 to do so. 



A search around the ledge from 

 which it flew discovered a number of 

 its cores, which upon examination 

 were found to be composed of petrel 

 remains, and one contained those of 

 a tern which testified as to what com- 

 posed its diet. 



A hasty search revealed a number of 

 nests of the common tern, but only 

 one of the birds were seen, which was 

 no doubt due to the presence of the 

 falcon. 



