d'l 
BULLETIN 
r. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
indicating a breeding colony not far distant. The next colony to the 
north is on Eoyal Shoal. Pamlico Sound. X. C. where about 250 birds 
were nesting in 1909 (Philipp). The coast of northeastern Virginia 
is the home of the largest colonies in the United States. Here the 
birds breed commonly on most of the islands from Cobbs Island 
(Harper) to Chincoteague (llnight). In 1902 about 2.000 birds were 
nesting on the former. The birds still breed at Brigantine and on 
Gull Island. X. J., a few in each place Stone' . and some 500 birds 
near Stone Harbor Carter \ It is probable that a few pairs also still 
O OCCURRENCE IN SUMMER 
+ Y/INT£P!SG 
<>■ ccc^ s Rz\:e :v winter 
■f FES DES~ 
*=^zm 
Fig. 25. — Laughing gull (Larus airitiUa). 
breed around Great South Bay. Long Island GEaton). Sixty years 
ago on the islands off the Massachusetts coast the laughing gull was 
a common breeder; now it is restricted to Muskeget Island, but the 
colony there during the past few years has increased until in 1908 
it was estimated to contain a thousand birds (Torbush). 
Only one colony of the laughing gull remains in the States north 
of Massachusetts, and that, near Penobscot Bay, on the coast 
of Maine, is reduced to scarcely a dozen mdividuals. Previous to 
1S70. the species nested at several places along the coast east to 
the vicinitv of Grand Manan. and in the summer of 1S56 Dr. Brvant 
