1894
Feb. 19
At sea on Str. "Madiana"
Noon observation - Lat 33.22 Lon 69.02
11 A.M. The wind and sea went down during
the night and now it is comparatively calm
and the ship is moving steadily on with only a
gentle roll now and then. The surface of the water
is pale, grayish lead color with here and there a
white cap flashing and disappearing. In our wake
where the screw has churned the water it is of the
same pale indigo color noted yesterday. Every now
and then we pass a fragment of the brownish yellow
gulf weed. I did not see any yesterday.
  The sun came out an hour ago but the sky has
clouded over again.
  At 8 A.M. three Gulls came together to the steamer
from the eastward and followed her for a few
minutes, then dropped out of sight astern. One
was a young Kittiwake the other two dark-colored
birds apparently as large as L. smithsonianus and
I think the young of that species. We are now
rather more than 400 miles S.E. of New York
and about 300 miles from land, a little below
the latitude of Cape Hatteras.
[margin]Kittiwake &
Herring Gulls[/margin]
  It is interesting to note the entire absence of
Procellaridae. Thus far I have not seen one, large
or small. This affords pretty strong negative evidence
that they do not occur in these waters in
midwinter
[margin]Absence of
Procellaridae[/margin]
  Since yesterday noon the weather has been sufficiently
warm to make an overcoat superfluous, even in the
wind on deck. The air is moist & enervating. Florida weather!
[margin]Temperature[/margin]