DELAWARE VALLEY OKNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 15 



can scarcely be considered a migration, as it happened on 1st 

 EQO. (Jan. ) 21 of this year. The greatest numbers appear late 

 in the winter or early in the spring. The flocks are so inter- 

 mingled that it seems hopeless to try to estimate the numbers, 

 and mere guesses carry such a large persentage of error that they 

 are scarcely worth making. At such times I always feel glad 

 that so many have escaped destruction, and wish that their 

 numbers might be doubled and trebled. I never wish for a 

 gun — still less for a gunner — but only that I might know what 

 they are. 



One particular incident, although briefly noted in a previous 

 issue of Cassinia, is thought worthy of fuller description 

 because of its rarity and the questions which it raises. One 

 day in early spring, the tide was flowing rapidly but smoothly 

 up-river. A sea-going tug, with a string of loaded coal-barges 

 was passing down. A few Herring Gulls were doing nothing 

 in particular, some hundreds of yards from shore. Everything 

 was quiet and perfectly normal. Suddenly, from over the city, 

 came a bird of medium size, carrying something in its talons. 

 The sharp-pointed wings, the powerful figure, the swift direct 

 flight and the dark color showed it to be a Duck Hawk. Why 

 it was carrying its prey out over the river, where there could be 

 no resting place for the sole of its foot, is not clear. But it soon 

 became evident that it had made a very bad blunder. Under 

 other circumstances, I have seen gulls and hawks in close 

 proximity, when neither seemed to notice the other. But 

 this time, the moment the gulls spied the hawk coming toward 

 them they shouted "Ha! Ha !" in tones that seemed full of 

 derision. At once the chase began. The unincumbered gulls 

 gained rapidly on the laboring hawk. For a few seconds it 

 tried to escape, then, in despair, dropped its prey upon the 

 water with a splash. I expected to see the gulls descend upon 

 the fallen quarry and wrangle for a morsel apiece. But to my 

 surprise they seemed to have no interest in it whatever, and not 

 very much in the hawk, except that they were determined to 

 prevent it from recovering its lost property. Time and time 

 again it would circle about and come near to the coveted prize^ 

 as though to lift it from the water. Whenever it came near, 



