Vol. XXXVI 11 

 1920 



Helmuth, Notes while in Naval Service. ^61 



themselves against our 42 degree roll by half extending and lowering their 

 wings to meet the motion. Among other strange visitors at a distance of 

 125 miles from land were a belted Kingfisher, several Tree Swallows, and 

 many flocks of warblers, which seemed better able to weather the storm 

 than the huge Herons. The only Warblers identified were Myrtles, Paru- 

 las, Redstarts, and a female Black-throated Blue. Three Robins came 

 aboard in the evening. 



March 30, 1918. Gulf of Mexico, en route to Tampa, Fla. Very 

 heavy weather, with violent squalls, wind varying in direction. A Hens- 

 low's Sparrow stayed with us all day, very tame, and ate crumbled hard- 

 tack and drank rain water from the boat-covers. Passed five Louisiana 

 Herons, making heavy weather of it. 



March 31, 1918. About 85-95 miles off entrance of Tampa Bay. 

 Several Myrtles, a Parula, a Black and White, and one Prothonotary 

 Warbler flew aboard and spent the morning on the boat-deck, all very 

 tame. Strangely enough, the Myrtles ate bread-crumbs and crumbled 

 hard-tack thrown to them by compassionate sailors! 



VI 



Migrant Jaegers in last of March and early April. 



March 14, Bound north. About 180 miles off the west coast of Florida, 

 somewhere between Ft. Myers and Tampa; four Pomarine Jaegers fol- 

 lowed us most of the day, the only birds seen with the exception of six or 

 eight Herring Gulls and the Phalaropes mentioned elsewhere. 



March 31, to April 10. Cruising in Gulf of Mexico, from Tampa to 

 Key West; and from Key West northwards up the east coast of Florida, 

 rather close inshore (fifteen to twenty-five miles off). Druing this time 

 a few Jaegers were seen every day, numbers being nearly equally divided 

 between the Pomarine and Parasitic species. One or more Long-tailed 

 Jaegers were definitely identified, and two or three doubtful individuals 

 seen at too long range. This latter species, April 8, between Alligator 

 Shoals and St. Lucie inlet. On April 9, approaching Jacksonville, eight 

 or ten Pomarine and about five Parasitic Jaegers followed us northward 

 all day, even up the St. John's river as far as Mayport. According to 

 Cooke practically nothing is known of the northward migration of the 

 Jaegers, and the above notes may be of additional interest on this ac- 

 count. 2 



774 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. 



2 Cooke, W. W., 1915, Distiibution and migration North Am. Gulls — and their 

 allies: Bull. no. 292 U. S. Dept. Agr. 



