us for a couple of hours, soaring overhead, low over waves and occasionally resting on water. Much variation in plumage: some with much motting on rump and all the way up back; some white underneath; some dark; some with dark of head completely isolated by buffy neck and nape feathers. None with really well developed central tail feathers (most 1/4 or 1/3 total length); some with splatches of white in 2° s. About or slightly smaller than Laughing Gulls. Blowing out of the SE. Passing Miami at 1:00 P.M. Passed West Palm Beach at about 9:00 A.M. Many fishing boats off shore. About 1 gannet per hour. Now only about 45 miles from Bimini. Wonder how Van Voast is doing on his Bahama exp? Saw what appeared to be a large tern—confirmed; 2 more (Caspian or Royal)— could not see 1's well—sliced by ship—blowing hard. Off Key West at 7:00 P.M. Course 235°. My first time in the Gulf. Watch says we will be too early for Mardi Gras. Venus very bright. Still passing Keys at 11:00 P.M. Man on watch from Boston. Makes ship models. Lat. 26° 10'N Steaming time 25 hrs total time: Long 80° 04'W Av sp 14.56 K 2 days 04 hr. 30 Min. Course—various Wind SE 3 New Orleans 646 mi. Dist 364 miles Sea SE slight Newport News 725 mi. Tuesday 3 February 1953 Course 302° Bright, clear, nearly cloudless day. We are in the Gulf of Mexico— water blue plus patches of Gulf Stream weed. Air is soft but there is still a touch of northern winter in the breeze. Calm sea, only an occasional whitecap. We have a morning escort of at least 10 Jaegers, patiently following. Capt. Eriksen says we will be steaming up the Mississippi tomorrow A.M. about 100 miles up to New Orleans. Walked up to the bow about 10:00 A.M. A dolphin (?) came in from dead ahead and swam under our bow for about a minute; 3 others joined it. Nose pointed, blow hole round, color—pale liver brown above, small flukes. Small Portuguese Men-of-War floating by, usually small fish associated with their streamers, (saw them just before bow wave hit). 5 minute count—19 in a 150' front, from bow. Glimpse of a shark as he rolled his white belly near surface. Count of Jaegers up to 18. 2 or 3 Herring Gulls at 1:30 P.M. Breeze dying, sea smooth, mackerel sky. Jaegers left in early P.M.; 2 or 3 gannets. Wednesday 4 February 1953 Off entrance to Mississippi River soon after dawn. Brown Pelicans, also 3 or 4 gannets flying past. Comorants (D. Cr. or Mex.?); Loon; Ring-billed Gulls; R. or C. Term; small terns; sea ducks; shore birds (all too distant). Soon after passing channel entrance saw white Pelicans sitting on drift logs and swimming in little bays either side of channel. Flock of 200 and Black Skimmers; Snow Geese; Blue Geese; Pintails; Mallards; Egrets; Great Blue Herons; Swallows; even 1 Duck Hawk sitting on channel light; Crows and Boat-tailed Grackles. Fewer birds as we passed inland. Passed oil rigs from time to time. Few ships. Feels very strange to be cruising up muddy Mississippi at full speed on board ocean going freighter. 2nd pilot came on board about 5 miles upstream. Levees line river— many homes below level of river. Napped in P.M. Approached New Orleans at sunset. Wharves line winding river on both sides. Great variety of ships and funnels. We docked at Celeste Street Wharf. Geoff and I walked up to Canal St.(main street in New Orleans—starts at river and runs NW)—about 1½ miles. Wonderful docking and railroad facilities. Geoff returned to ship. I looked in book stores until 11:00 P.M. and then walked into Old New Orleans, the Latin Quarter—Rue Royal. Many high class antique stores. Crossed over to Bourbon St—white way with many bars with song and dance acts. Back to ship about 1:30 A.M. Geoff and I saw