Chatham, Mass. Singular habit of coots, Mergus serrator, Kingfishers nest large gulls and that they can be caught with a hook and line! Heard no cry of any kind. Coming up the bay at sunset saw many large flocks of coots flying N, and Mr Brown heard on a singular trick that could be played on them. Watching his chance when a flock was coming up to pass overhead he suddenly saw a hideous yell when the whole body (about 100 white wings) came pitching down headlong from this great elevation as if every bird had been shot: down they came with set wings and a rushing noise like the wind roaring through the woods until they nearly touched the water when they resumed their ordinary flight. Had they not been a little stern of us we should have got a good shot at them. We tried this afterwards on other flocks and when they were near enough to hear the shout the success of the dodge was unfailing. Saw many Shildrake (M. serrator) flying as they usually do fun in large loose masses without any apparent order or system. I forgot to mention that I saw a few Sterna Cocpia of the 16th, Thursday May 18 Cloudy with occasional rain. Dry outa kingfishers both after breakfast. Planted in about 5 feet in rather clayey sand; it was evidently finished but with as eggs. It was shaped like P. Took the mom train home saw two & D. coronata in Cambridge.