May, 1914 BIRD NOTES FROM NETARTS BAY, OREGON 113 is exceedingly large and upon examining several ! found an amazing collec- tion of shells and other remains of marine life. Oidemia perq0icillata. Surf Scoter. This beautiful black and white scoter was seen during each of my visits to Netarts. Only' a few were seen in September, but by December 27 they had become abundant and were still plentiful in March. During calm weather when the bay is smooth, one can watch these expert divers at work securing their food from the bottom of the bay. Branta canadensis minlm?. Cackling Goose. Large numbers of geese rest on Netarts Bay during fall and winter. Flocks of considerable size were seen in December, January and March. Several species no doubt occur, but as specimens were not secured of any but B.c. m?nima, no others were posi- tively- identified. I was told of one occurrence years ago when two hunters killed several hundred geese in one day, ?mply picking the feathers from them and leaving the bodies to the gulls. On March 20 I saw several small flocks of n, inima alight on the middle rock of the Three Arch group where they' evi- Fig. 38. Hvoso? CURLEW. dently went to rest during their northward flight. On March 20 a female weighing four and a half pounds was shot as it flew low over the beach. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. This heron is of regular occurrence on the mud flats about the bay during low tide. It was seen at different times on all four of my visits to the bay. Fulica americana. Coot. It seems hard to account for the scarcity of Coots on Netarts Bay, when they are abundant on Tillamook Bay only a few miles north. On January 1, Mr. Peck found a dead one on the beach, but no others were seen. Phalaropus fulicarius. Red Phalarope. A single example was seen and secured on September 1. It was feeding on the sandy beach in company with Northern Phalaropes. Lobipes lobatus. Northern Phalarope. Abundant on all sandy beaches from September 1 to 11. These little fellows were the most gentle and con- fiding of all the shore birds on the beach, often allowing me to approach with-
