1920 J Helmuth, Notes while in Naval Service. Zol 



dunes at Cape Henlopen, or from the bay to the sea. Certain definite 

 pathways seemed to be used by all species, and the birds flew to and from 

 sea indifferently. Their activity continued throughout the day. Weather 

 raw, cold and windy, with a brisk north-west wind blowing. 



November 28. From League Island Navy Yard down Delaware River, 

 en route to Norfolk, Va. Large flocks of Mallard, Black Duck and Brant 

 seen along Delaware River. Fifty or sixty Baldpate, a small flock of 

 Redhead, and one flock of fifteen Pintails noticed with the above. In 

 lower Delaware Bay, near Cape Henlopen, at least five hundred Brant 

 were seen. About twenty-five miles to sea, off Cape Henlopen, we ran 

 into a tremendous bed of Scoters. All three species were present, but 

 White-winged Scoters greatly predominating. There must have been at 

 least 20,000 individuals in the flock, which rose in a solid mass, the air 

 being so filled with birds that I fully expected some to fly through our 

 deadlights ! 



Ill 

 Bound south, from Norfolk, Va., to Key West, Fla., Feb. 



24 to 27. 



Larus leucopterus. Iceland Gull. — February 24, 1918. Passed 

 Hatteras at noon, eight miles off Diamond Shoals lightship. Weather 

 cold; sea smooth at Hatteras, becoming lumpy off Cape Lookout and 

 very heavy from there on. Strong wind from south-east. At 6:30 A. M. 

 an Iceland Gull appeared, which followed us all day to a point approxi- 

 mately ninety miles off Cape Fear. Its pure white appearance was strik- 

 ing, and the bird looked distinctly smaller than the numerous Herring 

 Gulls. Bill proportionately smaller, yellow with a slightly cloudy spot on 

 the lower mandible. In some vague way the flight of this bird and its 

 general appearance was quite different from the Herring Gulls. It never 

 associated closely with the others, hanging on the edges of the always 

 following flocks. Occasionally it rested on the water, and we often left 

 it far behind, but it had no trouble in overtaking us, and continued to 

 follow us all day. 



Sula bassana. Gannet. — Very common off the capes of the Carolinas, 

 on February 24, at a distance of from fifty to eighty miles offshore, both 

 adults and immature; less common February 25, closer inshore, approach- 

 ing Savannah, Georgia; extremely abundant in flocks of considerable 

 size fifteen miles off St. Augustine, Fla., February 26; two seen close in- 

 shore not far from Palm Beach, February 27. [A sector across the Gan- 

 net's late winter range at the conclusion of an unusually severe season. 

 J. T. N.] 



Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. — On February 25, when about 

 twenty miles off the coast of southern Georgia, a Great Blue Heron, very 

 nearly exhausted, was seen flying south, inshore of us. At intervals the 

 tired bird would try to rest on the water, but upon sinking to its thighs 



