Occasional Notes on Birds at Sea.
By Dr. William C. Kendall, Scientific Assistant U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.
The following notes were made by the writer while serving as naturalist on the U. S. Fish Commission Schooner, "Grampus," in 1891, 1894 and 1895, during cruises connected with enquiries relating to mackerel. These cruises extended from off the coast of Virginia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and even southern Labrador, but all of the notes are not now available, thus rendering those following more or less fragmentary, desultory and indefinite. They are copied almost verbatim from the available notes, about the only change being that of adjusting such technical names as were used to the more modern nomenclature of "Knight's Birds of Maine." Owing to the writer's unfamiliarity with birds, unfortunately they could not always be identified with certainty when at a distance, and in the case of the Petrels not even when in hand. Therefore when the species is in the least in doubt the technical name when used is questioned. Many references are to Phalaropes without specifying the particular species. This is due mainly to inability to determine which they were. But always when identifiable the Northern Phalarope was the more common.
The only excuse the writer has for offering these notes for publication in the Journal is that he was urged to do so by officers of the society. So, ever desirous of obliging his friends, he has complied, even though contrary to good judgment and discretion.