Dolphin rescue continues in East Hampton

Rescuers in East Hampton failed yesterday to herd about 20 common dolphinsthrough a shallow, narrow inlet and into the harbor beyond.The dolphins became stranded Tuesday and since then, four have died. A fifthwas euthanized Saturday night in North Sea Harbor in Southampton."They're stressed; they haven't been eating," said Charles Bowman, presidentof the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation.Rescuers said they did not know the reason behind the mass stranding, whichhappens when animals beach themselves or become trapped in shallow waters.Scientists have also been puzzled by the apparently high number ofstrandings this winter over a large geographic area, from Long Island toBoston, New England Aquarium spokesman Tony LaCasse said yesterday.Eight common dolphins were stranded in Boston Harbor yesterday and more than30 animals have stranded on Cape Cod since Dec. 30, LaCasse said.