Chatham, Mass. [Chatham, Massachusetts]
Aegialitis melodus gen. ar [general arrival] Squatarolla Helvetica [Squatarola helvetica]
Chatham, Mass.
Semphemia semipalmata, three Habits of the gulls.
Calidris arenaria 
1876. Stercorarus Richardsonii, one small flock
(May 6 [May 6, 1876]) None of these birds were very fat and all
were marked more or less handsomely with
black on the breast and red on the back.
Saw also three Squatarolla Helvetica [Squatarola helvetica] and
three Symphemia semipalmata. The former
was seen yesterday for the first time.
Reaching the point had a good dinner
at the lighthouse and looked at
Beasse's dwelling house which Cory thinks
of buying. Saw an immense bed of
coots off the sea beach at least 5,000
there must have been of them. Coming
back in a sail boat we saw on the 
way numbers of Aeg. melodus [Aegialitis melodus] (50 or more)
one flock of Calidris arenaria and a
single Stercorarius probably Richardsonii.
Cory shot two A. melodus [Aegialitis melodus] & Hull two
immature Larus argentatus. One of the
latter which was wing broken bit most
savagely and would hang on to anything
that was placed within reach like a 
snapping turtle even allowing himself
to be lifted by it. Reached the "Branting 
house" by 4 P.M. pretty tired and 
completely wet through. Looking out
of the door at 10 P.M. just before
turning into my bunk I heard the 
long drawn plaintive whistle of a beetle
head plover coming up through the
darkness & mist from the flats to the
Westward. This bird is as much nocturnal 
in habits as the snipe or woodcock.
Passerculus savanna, M. melodia [Melospiza melodia]
Sturnella magna and Agelaius phoe. [Agelaius phoeniceus]
are all abundant on this island. 
[margin]All the gulls were decoyed within range by a pair of wings which Lon. [Alonzo Nye] skillfully opened and a shut by compressing & relaxing the muscles the effect being that of a gull flapping its wings on a sand bar.[/margin]