and carefully guarded by one or two families who live on or near the islands. These people should be allowed to take the first set of eggs and down, as well as the down left behind after the duck has hatched out the second set and has left for the season, but should not be allowed the use of fire arms, and their Eskimo dogs must be confined during the nesting season. In other words these people must not frighten the birds and must treat them kindly. The object of the experiment should be spread broadcast along the coast with the request for fair play, so as to restrain others from poaching and frightening the ducks on the reservation.

The rapidity with which the birds will respond to this treatment and the intelligence they will display in the recognition of the safety spots will surprise the people. This is the case wherever bird reservations are established. At Ipswich, Massachusetts, the shores of a small, protected pond are thronged with shore birds of many species which display almost no fear of man, while on the neighboring beaches, where they are shot, they are very wary. In the city of Boston the Charles River Basin and Jamaica Pond are the resort of numerous ducks that pay but little attention to the people, while in the sea and ponds nearby, where shooting is allowed, the ducks show their usual wildness.

It is useless to pass laws if they are not observed or if the sentiment of the community is against them. This reform, which will be of such great value to our northern sea-coast, can only be accomplished by education, and these bird reservations with their Eiderfarms will be one of the best means to that end. It is for this purpose that I have written this and have quoted the convincing experiences of the natives of Iceland and Norway; and I hope that through the Moravians and Dr. Grenfell and the Catholic and other missionaries of Labrador, and the factors of the Hudson's Bay Company's Posts, and the independent fur-traders, and through the press of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and especially through the Governor General of Newfoundland and the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, to all of whom I intend to send this little tract, the people will understand the great need and value of the conservation of the Eider.

ON THE HABITS AND BEHAVIOR OF THE HERRING GULL, LARUS ARGENTATUS PONT.

It is the purpose of this paper to describe the results of work which was begun with the idea of studying bird habits intensively. I learned through Mr. Henry L. Ward, curator of the Milwaukee Public Museum, that colonies of Herring Gulls were to be found breeding on islands off both coasts of the peninsula which forms Door County, Wisconsin, i. e. in Green Bay and in Lake Michigan (See Fig. 1.)

These birds seemed to be especially favorable for my purpose because: (1) they nest in rather compact colonies on the ground and in more or less open places so that many individuals can be seen and studied to advantage, and (2) their considerable size and largely white plumage make them among the best bird subjects for the indispensable photographic records. Furthermore, I had already had some experience with these birds, especially during

July, 1907, when I visited a breeding colony at Gull Island in Lake Superior, near Marquette, Michigan.

On June 20, 1911, I made a preliminary exploring trip in Green Bay starting from my headquarters at Ephraim, Wisconsin. With the aid of a motor boat, the Strawberry Islands, the Sister Islands,

Fig. 1. Map showing locations of Gull colonies in region of GreenBay, Wisconsin.

and Hat Island were all visited during the day, and colonies of Herring Gulls were found breeding on all of these islands except at the largest of the Strawberry Islands (See Plate III, Fig. 1) which supported a colony of Great Blue Herons.

As it did not seem practicable to attempt to live on any of the

45

islands, I thought it best to stay at Ephraim and depend upon small boats for transportation whenever a visit was made to the gull colonies. Unfortunately, boats were not always available and the weather was not favorable on many days. Work was carried on at the Sister Islands on June 26, July 12, and July 15; at Middle Strawberry Island on June 30 and July 29; and at Gravel Island July 18 and 19. Another period was spent at Middle Strawberry Island beginning at 7:20 P. M., July 7 and ending the next day at 7:05 A. M. So much time was taken by preliminary studies that my experimental work at the breeding places was barely begun when the season ended.

Other experiments were begun with some juvenal gulls which were taken from their nesting places to Ephraim and were kept in a pen (See Plate IV, Fig. 2). These birds were removed to Chicago in August where experiments with them are still in progress. References will be made in this paper to observations made on these captive gulls. The work in Chicago has been made possible through the kindness of Professors Angell and Carr of the Department of Psychology, in giving me outdoor cage accommodations.

The only species of gull discussed in this paper except where otherwise stated, is the Herring Gull.

II. METHODS.

Like other observers, I found a tent or blind indispensable for the study of the birds at their breeding places. On approaching a breeding colony of gulls a wild panic begins which does not cease so long as the intruder appears to be in the immediate vicinity.

I had a tent made similar to that described by Sawyer,' with some modifications. It was about four feet high and six feet long at the bottom. The cover was made from dark green cambric lining cloth, costing seven cents a yard. The entire cover could be folded into a package small enough to go into a coat pocket. After the first trip, extra openings were made to facilitate taking

1 Sawyer, E. J. 1909, pp. 71-73.

A Special Bird-Blind.
One page of text figures.

Bird Lore, Vol. XI, no. 2, March-April,

photographs in various positions. When not in use these apertures were closed by cloth doors which were provided with hooks and eyes such as are used by dressmakers, but of extra large size. An opening about five inches square in the top served quite successfully for ventilation.

Such a tent can be set up on rocky places where stakes cannot be used; and there are no guy lines to obstruct the camera field. It is possible to see more or less of what is going on outside of the tent through the cloth itself, although holes of small size give a clearer view. When dark clothing is worn, one's movements inside are not noticed.

The lower margin of each side and end of the tent was held down by a pole which ran through a hem in the cloth, and the ends of the poles were anchored with weights when a wind was blowing. Thus in Plate IV, Fig. 1, pieces of wood appear at the corners, for this purpose. A brisk breeze was blowing when the picture was taken as may be seen in the bellying of the side of the tent.

This tent with considerable additional anchorage in the form of rocks went through an unusually violent storm without injury or displacement. Only a small portion of the heavy fall of rain came through the cloth. It was found wise to carry permanent tent poles carefully fitted to the corner blocks, in a bundle as a part of my outfit. Drift boards were used as a floor.

The chief objection to this form of tent is that it is not high enough to permit the observer to stand upright. During a long day, I could not avoid becoming much cramped even when I tried shifts from a sitting to a reclining position and so on. I have since used a tent of similar form but larger and over six feet tall. The poles are all of bamboo and the corner fittings are of brass. The number of openings has been reduced but they have been placed in carefully selected positions. The sides and ends are all sewed together except at one corner where the entrance is placed. Tapes are provided for closing the entrance. This tent is much neater and far more comfortable, and it can be set up with the adjustments of equipment in less than fifteen minutes.

I found it necessary, as has been the experience of others, to have a companion leave the tent after having been inside with me. He would also leave the island with our boat, and he would not return