118 



THE OOLOQIST 



but one nest, which contained a very 

 fine set of four almost fresh eggs. 

 These birds eat an immense quantity 

 of insects, I should judge for they are 

 always hunting in the underbrush. 

 The female is not quite so conspicu- 

 ous as the male, because of her more 

 quiet disposition and more sober col- 

 ors and when nesting she sets very 

 close. 



Geo. W. H. vos Burgh. 



No Man's Land, Maine. 



In Penobscot Bay, about a mile east 

 of Matimicus is the island of No Man's 

 Land. It is owned by the Audubon 

 Society who protects the great col- 

 ony of Herring Gulls that breed on it. 

 The number of pair is supposed to be 

 about fifteen thousand and is the larg- 

 est colony in Maine. 



It is a good sized island. At one 

 time a few spruce grew on it but sev- 

 eral years ago when I was there last 

 these were all dead, killed by the im- 

 mense number of birds alighting on 

 them I suppose. The soil, well ferti- 

 lized by so many birds, produces a 

 rank growth of grass, but much of the 

 surface is pretty well studded with 

 big boulders. The shore is very rocky 

 and to make a landing with a good 

 rough sea on is diflicult except at one 

 point on the western end locally called 

 rum guzel. 



As in all colonies, the birds rise to 

 greet you and here a few thousand 

 gulls uttering their harsh cry make 

 a noise that is wonderful. After the 

 feeling produced by the sight of so 

 many eggs quiets down you take note 

 of things. The nests of course are 

 everywhere and anywhere. Some are 

 in the hollows formed by the sur- 

 rounding rocks, some are tucked away 

 under the boulders but the majority 

 are placed in the thick grass. Maiiy 

 are bulky affairs composed of dry sea- 

 weed and other water plants, many 



are made of dry grass and hundreds 

 of them are just a spot in the rank 

 grass the bird has matted down with 

 her feet into what a nest should be. 

 With nests placed so close together 

 that you have to be careful wher^ 

 you step, how any bird can tell her 

 nest after once leaving it is a mys- 

 tery to me. That they sometimes do 

 return to the wrong nest may be noted 

 for at times one will see two or more 

 birds fighting when one of them had 

 sought to return to her eggs. A num- 

 ber of adult dead Gulls may be seen 

 lying about but whether death was 

 due to these fights or to disease, I 

 do not know. 



Throughout June and into July eggs 

 may be found but the July eggs are 

 badly incubated. Three eggs are in 

 most sets but many sets of two are 

 seen. Eggs decidedly lacking in col- 

 oration and with a washed out look 

 are generally infertile and are quite 

 common. 



About the 20th of June the first 

 eggs layed are ready to hatch. The 

 young are helpless for a short time 

 and remain in the nest if not dis- 

 turbed. Along the last of June, if you 

 go there, you can soon start the big- 

 gest flock of various sized fowl run- 

 ning you ever saw, of that kind. They 

 try to hide in the grass and under 

 the boulders. 



The cries of the young Gulls make a 

 vvonderful noise. It seems to be con- 

 tinuous. It was the last sound I heard 

 it night on Matinicus, over a mile 

 iway, and in the morning when 1 

 dwoke, they were going full blast. 



When the fishermen clean their fish 

 in the harbor at Matinicus, the old 

 Gulls gather around to clean up the 

 refuse. They are very interesting to 

 watch for their cleverness in picking 

 up the parts of the fish thrown away 

 is wonderful. Quite often some Gulls 

 would pick up a yard or so of this 



