Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-01

Ice ON zNE sEA wAyka-THE WILD puoKn AND
THEtR w1Nr1R fHKDiNo-now rhE CLANS ARE
aULLED-aENERAL NoTEs.
Special Correspondence Of the Commercial.
CAPE MAY, N. j., March 2S.
We have had our equinoctal storm, and to-
day and yesterday were bright and clear but
worry cold, leo forming two inches thick and even
the Sea had slight coat on It's calm surface this
morning. The air ia pure and brscing, howey-
or, and the Philadelphia physicians are sending
invalids to MS, convalesccnts who regain health
rapidly in our salt sea air. We have nearly .
dozen in the Atlantic Honso at present, ordered
here by their medical advisers. Cape May will
be Florids, No. 2, presently. They came In
tempesnous time, but they had the pleasure OF
witnessing an ocean storm, much coveted
sight.
For the past three weeks, quite
ATuousANp WILD DUCKS
have been constantly feeding in front Of our
hotel and its vicinity and by aid Of opera glasses
we discover them to be Of the black duck, blue
bill, and coot species, chiefly, but one amateur
gunner of excellent Judgment asserts that can
vasbacks and red heads are among them, though
the latter are very rarely seen in this quarter.
1t ia generally believed that tho corn from the
wrecked schooner pottridge has washed out
and is laying on the ocean bottom there, as they
are diving and feeding all the time. Others
tnlnk . UuSB6l Deu IN tutT6, upUA NACA tAUy
are regaling. On Friday morning at sunrise
they were feeding within dozen feet Of the
Shore in about ten or twelve inches depth OF
water, there being but little sea breaking; Ihey
permitted an approach within gun shot, but no
one molested them. Coots are not very desira-
others, though
ARE FINE EATING.
Your correspondent approached within few
yards OF them, armed only with spy glass,
with which their manoeuvres were watched
without disturbing them. Sunday last We saw 9
large winter gull find clam, of the thin shelled
species called here 'sskimmers," because dairy.
wives hereabouts skim their cream with the
shells, and taking it in Its beak flew about thirty
feet up in the air, and dropped the clam, break
ing the shell, and alighting fed OF it's contents.
This We Witnessed three different times, observ-
ing it closely and after the birds departure, eI,
amined the remains Of the feast. That the bird
flew into the air with clans to break them we
have heard for the six years thatwe have beer
here, but we never exactly believed it until We
saw it, and our readers arc allowed the same
pr yilege-it is true though Neither do we ye
believe that
TIE FISH HAWKS ARE MADE TO DROP
the fish they have caught, by the bald eagles
and that the latter, making swoop, catch tht
| falling fish before reaching the sea or earth be
meath, and bear it away to feed upon in quiet
| vet we are assured by those who have frequent,
seen it that such ia the case.
Mr. Phil Koenig, resident here, has speci
men OF the bald eagle stuffed, which he sho
while engaged in robbing = hsh-hawk as de
scrbed. Tie fish hawks and rock fish are lont
past due at Cape May, but this present pola
wave retards them both
SEA GROVE
is advancing rapidly. The pavilion is more thai
half finished, the east side Of Lake Lilly is gra
ded, and looks beautiful and the roads arc rapid
" being graded. Several cottages are quite ad
vanced toward completion and the hotel site
nearly graded, ready for commencement.
The pilot boat Chopper, while taking on th
pilot warden from the Nederland, Of The An,
werp line, mounting on high sea at the ship
bow, protruded her bowsprt over the rail OF til
steamer and on descending with the SET, ,crushe
the lail, tore down her foregard with all al
tached, and ripped the bowsprit out completed
and threw it down on the windless Of the pile
boat. Such things rarely occur with pilots, e
their constant experience makes them splendi
managers of vessels, generally.
The author of this mischief was young In I'll
business The crews Of both vessels had llv'
ly time lodging falling spars. Tho hederfd''
was not detained, but put TO sea.
JOHN McMAKIN.