354
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
1897.
Nov. 27
  Clear with light north wind.
  Visited Fresh Pond at 9 A.M. There were
about 200 Gulls and just 20 Black Ducks, swimming
near the middle the Ducks keeping a little apart.
All the Gulls appeared to be L. a. smithsonianus.
Dec. 11
  Clear and warm with fresh S.W. wind.
  Circumstances have prevented me from visiting
Fresh Pond during the past two weeks. I went there
this morning at 8.30 and found an astonishing number
and variety of water-fowl "bedded" off the point of
the Grove about 300 yards from shore. Sitting as closely
together as such birds often do under similar circumstances
they formed a continuous belt 50 or 60 yards wide
by at least 400 yards in length. I counted them
carefully and got 863 Gulls and 8 Ducks as the result.
Taking a position at the extreme end of the point of
the Grove, where I had the advantage of being 30 ft.
or more above the pond, and resting my powerful
double telescope against the trunk of a big hemlock.
I spent nearly an hour in identifying and watching
the members of this flock. The light was excellent
and my glass brought the birds so near that I
had little or no difficulty in distinguishing their colors
and markings. Indeed I quickly determined almost every
bird which especially attracted attention to my
entire satisfaction. [delete]The only trouble I had was
with some of the young Gulls and even with
these I believe I succeeded nearly as well as if
I had them within a few yards distance.[/delete]