Correspondence. 141 



interest to remain simply on file. We are promised others as the 

 work progresses. 



The journey thus far has been decidedly instructive in many 

 ways. Altogether we were about eighteen days on the boat and 

 just five days nut from New York before seeing land of any kind. 

 During these five days we passed but three ships in mid-ocean. 



With a monotony, which at such times is in a large measure 

 conducive to drowsiness, it is then that one appreciates the 

 slightest incidents at sea. The sight of a bird, a flying fish, or 

 even a sail, intensifies the interest wonderfully, more especially 

 during a calm sea voyage such as we experienced nearly all the 

 way down. Being the hurricane season we had anticipated some 

 sqaals; but barring the choppiness of the ocean for the first day 

 out, and a rather lively sea on after leaving Barbados, our 

 voyage was markedly uneventful. Clear skies above at day, 

 beautiful moonlight nights, and with almost continuous trade- 

 winds prevailing during all the time. 



But, in writing of birds, very few were seen after the first day, 

 and even after reaching the islands sea birds appeared to be 

 scarce. Mother Carey's Chickens (Procellaria pelagica) made their 

 first appearance when we were passing the Statue of Liberty, 

 two being seen. The next morning they were plentiful about 

 the stern of the ship. The following morning many were also 

 present, but before noon nearly all had disappeared, and we did 

 not again see them after that date. In the outer harbor of New 

 York a number of terns (flock of about 30) and some gulls were 

 se n, but in either case we could not identify them. 



On the morning of the 10th of September, the following day 

 after leaving New York, we passed three or four birds resem- 

 bling Boobies, but their identity was uncertain. However, on 

 the afternoon of the 14th, a Booby (Sula sula) came so close along- 

 side our vessel there was no mistaking it. Shortly afterward 

 another appeared ; and on the evening of the same day we 

 were greatly amused by the awkward attempts of one to alight 

 on the smoke stack of the steamer. This was about 7:30 o'clock. 

 At one time it became slightly tangled in the rigging. 



At a little after high noon (possibly 12:30) of September 11, a 

 rather pathetic incident took place. It was the case of a badly 

 tired out Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) that made a feeble attempt 

 at making a landing. It tried to gain a footing on the fore part 

 of the vessel, but evidently was frightened away unintentionally 

 by some of the sailors at work on that portion of the ship. At 

 that time we were approximately 200 miles from Cape Hatteras, 

 the nearest point of land, and as the bird flew off to sea in an east- 

 erly direction it can easily be conjectured what the final out-, 

 come must have been. That same day at 4:30 P. M. we also saw 

 our first Tropic Bird (Phaethon arnericanus). It inspected our ship 

 for a few moments, called once, and passed away to the rearward. 



At 8:20 A. M. of the 12th, considerable interest was aroused 

 by the vain attempt of a sparrow-like bird to alight on the fore- 

 part of the ves-sel, and like the Kingfisher, it seemed muih ex- 

 hausted. A few minutes later, another one, possibly of the 

 same species, was frightened from an awning covering the roof 

 of the deck cabin. Boih passed out to see in an easterly direction. 



September 13th we recorded another Tropic Bird and between 

 ten and eleven A. M. of the 14th we saw many of them, perhaps 

 50 in all, the greater number making up a flock of about 40 birds. 

 Since this latter date none have been seen. 



In speaking of the Brown Pe ican {Pelecanus fascus), we did 



