258 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
scarce; gannets were never plentiful, and “ sea-geese” (red phalaropes) 
usually were only in small bunches and widely scattered. It was re- 
marked by the fishermen that the mackerel and the birds remained un- 
usually long in the southern waters south of Cape Henry. 
On the 12th of May Captain Chase told us that birds were so abun- 
dant with the southern body of fish as to interfere with seining. On the 
21st of April, in the harbor of Fortress Monroe, we found the usual 
abundance of ducks ; gulls, terns, and kittiwakes were also present ; 
cormorants, loons, and grebes were occasionally seen. Coots had not 
yet left those waters. 
On the 5th of May coots were flying to the southward in Delaware 
Bay. On the 16th of May, when we returned to the breakwater, no 
coots were seen. On the 16th, two small flocks of coots were seen fly- 
ing southward in the eastern end of Long Island Sound. A large 
flock was observed near Brenton’s Reef light-ship, also flying south- 
ward. 
In the evening of May 13, in about north latitude 37° 48', west lon- 
gitude 74° 13', we saw a flock of phalaropes. 
In the evening of May 20, in about north latitude 38° 42', west longi- 
tude 74° 2F, a small flock of phalaropes was observed, and on the 26th 
of May we saw a flock of the same birds near Montauk. 
In the evening of May 9 three jaegers were tolled up with liver, but 
not close enough to be shot. Two of these birds were near us on May 
29, but the sea was too rough to attempt their capture. 
Petrels, Cary chickens, called “sailors’ ghosts” by the fishermen, 
were seen everywhere, and could frequently be brought up alongside 
by the use of fish-chum close enough to be caught with dip-nets. 
Land birds were occasionally noticed at sea. A chestnut-crowned 
sparrow came aboard on the morning of April 29 when we were prob- 
ably 50 miles offshore, and a small hawk was alongside on the same 
evening. On the 9th of May, when we were 49 miles offshore, a red- 
headed woodpecker flew on board the Grampus. 
May 27, 40 miles southeast J east from Block Island, Captain Harty 
reported birds plentiful. 
Bird feathers . 
At 8.30 p. m. May 23, in north latitude 40° 19' west longitude 73° 
06', some floating feathers were obtained in the towing-net. These are 
considered by fishermen to indicate the presence of fish in the direc- 
tion from wl'hd* the feathers come. 
