The Summer Tanager (Pyranga æstiva) in New Brunswick.—While staying at Grand Manan, N. B., in June, last year, I saw in the possession of Mr. J. F. C. Moses a Summer Tanager which had been taken there a few weeks before. It was shot at North Head, Grand Manan, about the 12th on 14th of May, 1881, by a boy who brought it in the flesh to Mr. Moses, by whom it was mounted. The bird—which was undoubtedly a male, though dissection had been neglected—was in full plumage, and showed no signs of previous captivity. Indeed in that thinly settled region the capture of an escaped cage bird would be an unlikely event. The specimen is now in the collection of Mr. George A. Boardman.
This adds another case to the list of southern birds that have occasionally found their way to the neighborhood of the Bay of Fundy. The causes of their coming still remain hidden, and more light is needed before the facts can be satisfactorily explained.—Charles F. Batchelder, Cambridge, Mass.
The Evening Grosbeak in New York.—Mr. Charles F. Earle writes me from Syracuse, N. Y., July 11th, as follows: “On the 8th of the present month I saw a male Evening Grosbeak (Hesperophona vespertina) near Marcellus Station, Onondaga County, N. Y. Being engaged in fly-fishing at the time, I was unable to secure the bird; but there is no question of the identification, as I had a good view of it at reasonably close quarters.”—Elliott Coues, Washington, D.C.
The Black-throated Bunting in Florida.—Neither Professor Allen in his “Winter Birds of East Florida,” nor Mr. Maynard in his work on the birds of Eastern North America, includes the Black-throated Bunting (Spiza americana) as an inhabitant of Florida; hence the following note of its capture there may be worth recording. While walking along the fence row of an old field near Fernandina on April 22d, 1881, looking for Shrikes and Ground Doves, I heard the familiar note of this well-dressed Bunting in a small tree near the fence. He was immediately secured, but although I afterwards searched diligently for others, none were found.—C. W. Beckham, Bardstown, Ky.
Distribution of the Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus.)—During a recent trip to Charlottesville, Albemarle Co., Virginia, I was much surprised to find the Fish Crow exceedingly common—quite as numerous, in fact, as the Common Crow (C. frugivorus). The locality in question is entirely surrounded by mountains—Monticello and Ragged Mountains to the east and south, the Blue Ridge only about twelve miles to the westward—and is distant at least sixty miles from the nearest tide water.—Robert Ridgway, Washington, D. C.
The Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoïdes forficatus) taken in Southern Michigan.—Two fine specimens, male and female, of the Swallow-tailed Kite, were taken near this place, June 19, 1882, by Mr. Charles Chittenden. When first discovered by him they were foraging about his dove house, and causing a great commotion among the inmates.
The female was shot and instantly killed, while her mate, who was only slightly wounded, was secured alive. The latter is now in the possession of Dr. N. Paquette of Petersburg. They were properly identified by comparison with a nicely mounted specimen in my collection, which came from Georgia. As far as I am aware this is the first recorded capture of this species within the State. Dr. Morris Gibbs in his List of the Birds of Michigan, 1879, admits it on the authority of Hon. D. D. Hughes of Grand Rapids, but cites no recorded example having been taken.—Jerome Trombley, Petersburg, Munroe County, Michigan.
Garzetta candidissima at Nantucket, Massachusetts.—Visiting the above-named island, Aug. 12, 1882, I saw in the shop of Mr. H. S. Sweet, a mounted specimen of the Little White or Snowy Egret, which he said was shot near the southwest shore, at Hummock pond, last March, by one of the men of the Life-saving Station. A straggler to New England, the species has occurred far less frequently than its larger relative the White Heron (Herodias egretta), and this capture in early spring is remarkable.—H. A. Purdie, Newton, Mass.
The Snow Goose (Chen Hyperboreus) at Sing Sing, New York.—On the morning of April 9th, 1882, a large flock of two or three hundred Snow Geese visited this place. They alighted several times at the mouth of the Croton, where it empties into the Hudson, but being disturbed by the gunners, who were anxious for a shot at them, they at last flew farther up the river. I examined them by the aid of a powerful field-glass, at a distance of a few hundred yards, and being on elevated ground I could look down upon the flock and easily distinguish the black wing-tips of the adults as they flew. A few days previous I saw a single individual flying, who seemed to be taking the lay of the country. I was informed that the flock again passed down the river on the night of the 10th.—A. K. Fisher, M. D., Sing Sing, N. Y.
Note on the Long-tailed Duck.—On February 5, 1881, one of my friends procured a male specimen of the Long-tailed Duck (Harelda glacialis), at Latrobe, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. The bird was shot on the only unfrozen spot noticed on the creek at the time—it was during the coldest “snap” of the season—and was in a very emaciated condition. The occurrence of this species so far inland (west of and near the mountains) is noteworthy. It was altogether unknown to the gunners thereabouts, and was brought to me for identification.—Chas. H. Townsend, Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philadelphia.