64 The Wilson Bulletin — No. Ill 



receive communications from those sufficiently interested and sat- 

 isfactorily located to engage in this work during their leisure time, 

 for it is obvious that a considerable part must be done by volun- 

 teer operators. It is hoped that a sufficient number will take this 

 up to insure the complete success of the project. 

 Very truly yours, 



(Signed) E. W. Nelson, 



Chief of Bureau. 



BONAPARTE'S GULLS AND LOUISIANA HERONS 

 CATCHING FISH 



During a visit in Florida in early March, 1917, I was much 

 interested in watching from the hotel piazza the Bonaparte'^ Gulls 

 (Larus pliiladelp'hia) feeding in the Halifax River at Ormond 

 Beach. The birds were said to frequent the vicinity of the hotel 

 in order to feed on the garbage which was thrown into the water. 

 But although this may attract them, they are by no means solely 

 dependent on it, for I repeatedly saw a bird pursuing a school of 

 small fish along the edge of the water, and in one or two instances 

 made certain that it secured a living fish in its beak and swallowed 

 it. The bird, flying just above the water, followed the fish and, on 

 overtaking them, reached out and snapped up one, just after alight- 

 ing, I think. Sometimes the bird swam after the school, and I 

 could see the water move as the fish darted away, but even although 

 the fish saw their pursuer, they were not always able to elude him. 

 When the school swam out into deeper water, and presumably left 

 the surface, the gull rose and flew along the shore until he sighted 

 another school, when, again coming near the surface, he began to 

 strike out at the fish. 



The Louisiana Heron (Hijdranassa tricolor ruficollis) adopted 

 a similar method of catching fish, — also noted from the piazza of 

 the hotel. The Heron walked slowly toward a school, with body 

 leaning forward and head drawn partly back, and struck quickly, 

 downward and outward. The proportion of successful strikes to 

 failures was, during the short time I watched a bird fishing one 

 afternoon, rather in favor of the fish. 



It interested me to learn that these two birds were able to 

 catch a fish which was startled and aware of the approach of its 

 enemy. The skill of these birds must be remarkable, — they must 

 possess the power of striking with great accuracy and with light: 

 ning-like speed — otherwise they would avail themselves of the ad- 

 vantage of attacking an unsuspecting prey, by waiting until the fish 

 came within reach. 



Lexington, Mass. Winsor M. Tyler, M.D. 



