1875.
July 20. [July 20, 1875] "Junk of Pork", which I did not visit.
The latter gentleman also affirmed that
at the time of his last visit at least
a thousand terns were breeding on the
islands & he could not account for
the small number that I saw. Certainly
40 pairs would be a large estimate of
the number as I found them. Leaving
the island about sundown we had
a very rough passage back but reached
Peaks island by 8 P.M. and taking the
9 P.M. steamboat for the city I passed
the night again at the Preeble house. I
forgot to mention the fact that a flock
of about 100 Larus agentatus [Larus argentatus] rose off
the smaller island at my first shot
and quickly disappeared. All were
in immature plumage and we
saw about the same number last
night at Scarborough resting on the
flats. Probably the bird never breeds the
first year.
  July 21 [July 21, 1875] In the forenoon visited Willeys taxidermists
shop. He had 5 Ardetta exilis, & a fine
Herodias egretta all shot at Portland this
season. Also some 4 or 5 Som. spectabilis [Somateria spectabilis]
taken there last winter. He has taken Pas.
princeps [Passerculus princeps] the 15 of March last [March 15, 1875] and one or
two Mel. Lincolnii [Melospiza lincolnii] at different times.
The harlequin duck used to occur frequently
he says in large flocks but is rare now.
Took the 2.35 train on the B. & M. for
home and arrived in Boston at 7.
Found everything all right as usual.