7 THE BIRDS 
They arrive about April Ist, and one’s notice is soon 
called to them by their noisy clamor, as a large flock or a 
few single birds rest upon some sand bar at low tide. As 
the season advances the birds desert our harbors and rivers 
to gather near their nesting grounds, and by June Ist their 
nesting site is selected, and eggs deposited shortly after- 
wards. Our earliest record is June 3rd, while fresh eggs 
may still be found until the middle of July. Two to three 
eggs constitute a full set, rarely four,—which vary in color 
from a gray to brown ground,—spotted, blotched and 
specked with various shades of brown, and fainter mark- 
ings of lavender. Size, 2.25x1.60. While some birds con- 
struct a complete nest, the majority utilize the tide drift 
caused by the equinoctial storms left high above the ordi- 
nary tides, and resting on fop of the tall salt marsh grass. 
This drift is composed of sea weed, marsh grass, and trash 
of every description, and the birds simply form a slight 
hollow in it and start housekeeping. A few pair undoubt- 
edly raise two broods, but if unmolested the majority only 
raise one. As it is, these birds, as well as all the other 
sea birds breeding on our coast, are systematically robbed 
daily by the neighboring inhabitants and visiting water- 
men of all callings. Each colony is visited soon after egg 
laying commences, and the contents of all nests with more 
than one egg is destroyed. They are then visited every 
day or two days, the eggs being gathered in baskets and the 
egger sure of strictly fresh eggs. Large quantities of the 
different sea-bird eggs are salted down by the seafaring 
people for their winter use, and the birds go on laying until 
they eventually are allowed to raise a brood. Egging stops 
about July 4th, and the birds are thus allowed ample time 
to raise a brood before the fall equinoctial storms set in. 
