162 Hknshaw, Bircfs o/ Prey as Ocean Wat/s. rArii 



For the use of specimens or generous assistance my thanks are 

 due to Messrs. WilUam Brewster, Walter Deane, H. B. Bigelow, 

 Outram Bangs, Witmer Stone, Drs. J. A. Allen, Robert Ridgway, 

 Jonathan Dwight, Jr., Walter Faxon, Louis B. Bishop, Mr. A. _H. 

 Norton, and others. 



BIRDS OF PREY AS OCEAN WAIFS. 



BY H. W. HENSHAW. 



It is no unusual event, as every ornithologist knows, for land 

 l)irds to board ships, when a greater or less distance off land, or 

 to be seen from their decks as they wing an aimless course over 

 the ocean. It is fair to infer that such known cases are very few, 

 compared to the number of birds that are forced off land by un- 

 friendly gales and that finally perish miserably in the depths of 

 ocean unseen of human eye. After once losing sight of land, few of 

 the comparatively weak-winged land birds are likely ever to regain 

 it, and no doubt many of the powerful-winged species become 

 hopelessly lost when once the friendly land has faded from view. 

 The ocean is no friend to the land bird, but annually exacts its 

 deadly toll with unfailing certainty. 



Two unusually interesting instances of birds taking refuge on 

 board ships have recently come to my notice, and, as they possess 

 special interest to American ornithologists, I here record them. 

 Both cases have been communicated by Capt. Peter Johnson of 

 the bark ' Roderick Dhu ' which sails between San Francisco and 

 Hilo. 



In May or June of 1897 a brown hawk boarded the 'Dhu' 

 when some 200 miles outward bound from Hilo and, as one sure 

 of its rights, took through passage to California. The bird chose 

 the end of the starboard royal for its perch, and maintained its 

 place all the way over, save when it made excursions from the 

 ship after " small birds." Just what the latter were is not certain, 

 though the Captain surmised, with much probability, that they 



