1 6 . Notes on Rhode Island Ornithology. 



there are a few cedar trees, and thus the birds seen are those species 

 which nest on the ground or in the " cat-tails" of Long Pond. 



Common Tern (^Sterna kirtindo). — The first bird which attracts _your 

 attention on the approach of the boat to Sakonnetis this species, which is 

 seen resting on the posts which support the nets of the fish pounds in the 

 Sakonnet River. On Cormorant Rock there were between forty and fifty 

 birds noted sitting on their eggs or on the rocks, while there were as 

 many more flying to and fro across Sakonnet Point and up the river feed- 

 ing. The day we visited the rock, June 5, there were five nests (if such 

 they may be called, being composed entirely of fish bones) which con- 

 tained three eggs, three nests of two, and four with only one egg. 



Greater Shearwater {^Puffinus gravis). — Intermingled with the Terns on 

 Cormorant Rock were about twenty-five birds of this species, and occa- 

 sionally three or four were seen along shore. 



Sooty Shearwater (^Puffinus fuliginosus). — In company with the pre- 

 ceding species on Cormorant Rock were four birds of this species. None 

 were noted around the point, although doubtless they were there at times. 



Leach's Petrel {Oceanodroma leucorhoa). — Five individuals were seen 

 skimming the surface of the ocean on our way to Cormorant Rock. Not 

 observed close in shore anywhere. 



Surf Scoter (^Oidemia perspicillata). — Several dead birds were seen on 

 the beach, and a flock of about a hundred were feeding in the cove east of 

 Warren's point. 



Carolina Rail {Porzana Carolina). — Two were seen darting amongst' 

 the "cat-tails" on the shore of Long Pond, but no nests were found. 



Florida Gallinule ( Gallinula galeata) . — Three^birds were heard in the 

 " cat-tails" of Long Pond and I flushed one which was feeding on the 

 shore, while three nests were found but no eggs. 



Semipalmated Sandpiper {Ereujites fusillus). — Aflock of about twenty 

 were seen June 4 feeding in the Warren's Point marsh. 



Greater Yellow-legs {Totanus melanoleucus). — Three birds were heard 

 whistling and answered our whistle several times in the Warren's Point 

 marsh. 



Spotted Sandpiper {Actitis macularia) . — Everywhere abundant along 

 shore, especially on Sakonnet Point, where several sets of eggs were found 

 in the grass back from the beach, and four young were found just 

 hatched on June 5, one of them not being dried oflf. They were all in 

 the nest, but the next day on passing here, we found they had left and 

 from the anxious cries of the old birds we judged they were some fifty feet 

 away. 



Ruby-throated Hummingbird ( Trochilus colubris) . — Two nests of this 

 species were found with their complement of two eggs nearly fresh, one 

 in a swamp north of Sakonnet Point, and the other in a cedar tree on 

 one of the islands in the Warren's Point marsh. 



Wood Pewee (^Contofus virens). — A male was seen on one of the 

 islands in the Warren's Point marsh. 



