Melanerpes erythrocephalus about Boston.—Massachusetts, at least the extreme eastern part, has shared in the flight of Red-headed Woodpeckers that has been reported as visiting Southern Connecticut last fall.[[38]] During the latter part of September, through October and into November, the oak groves in the suburbs of Boston were tenanted by numbers of these truly handsome birds. I should judge that about one third were in full plumage, and their conspicuous dress attracting attention many were shot. Twelve years ago the individual occurrence of this species among us was thought worthy of record. Of late years, during the months above named, it has become a more frequent though irregular visitor, but never in such numbers as have recently shown themselves. In spring or summer it is rarely seen, yet an instance of its nesting in Brookline is given me by Mr. H. K. Job, who early in June, 1878, found five eggs in the hole of an apple tree. According to Dr. C. Hart Merriam, this Woodpecker is a common resident of Lewis County, N. Y.[[39]] May not our visitors have come from that direction?—H. A. Purdie, Newton, Mass.
The Barn Owl in Maine: A Retraction.—In the Bulletin for January, 1877, p. 28, I added the Barn Owl (Aluco flammeus americanus) to the catalogue of Maine birds, basing the record upon a specimen, which I had examined, in the possession of a taxidermist then of Portland. I very much regret to say that I now believe the account given me of this bird’s capture within our state limits to have been false. Several other statements in relation to ornithology have since been made me by the same man, of a character so improbable and with such contradictory details that they can only be regarded as wilfully and utterly untrue. Their author has recently left the city under circumstances which dispel any doubts which may previously have existed as to the reliability of his word. I cannot longer be responsible for a statement emanating from such a source, and wish to formally withdraw the name of the Barn Owl from the list of birds known to occur in Maine.—Nathan Clifford Brown, Portland, Maine.
The Snowy Owl at Fort Walla Walla, W. T.—On November 10, 1881, one of my men shot here a female of this species (Nyctea scandiaca), which I have made into a fine skin. I reported the capture of one on December 1, 1880 (see this Bulletin, Vol. VI, p. 128), and these two are the only records known to me for the Pacific coast. The occurrence of this species here seems to be much rarer than in the Eastern States.—Charles Bendire, Fort Walla Walla, W. T.
Capture of the Golden Eagle in Crawford County, Pennsylvania.—A Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaëtus canadensis) was shot in Rookdale Township this (Crawford) County on December 10, under the following circumstances. A farmer, by the name of Hull, early one morning saw the bird fly from a carcass in his field to the woods some distance off. He conceived the idea that it would return to the carrion and at once made a blind of the rails of a fence near by. The following morning he repaired to the blind long before daylight with gun in hand, and, although he was well concealed and waited patiently until nearly noon, no bird put in an appearance. Nothing daunted, however, he repeated the watching on the second morning, and about eight o’clock was rewarded by the return of the bird, which he shot. The eagle was purchased by Mr. Roe Reisinger of our city and is now mounted. It is the first recorded specimen, I believe, of this species taken in this county. The sex I could not ascertain, as the entire contents of the bird’s body were drawn by Mr. Hull before bringing it to town, but from the following dimensions I should judge it to be a young female: Extent, 83 inches; wing, 24.50 inches; tail, 15 inches. Tail about two-thirds white. The black terminal zone was about four inches deep on outer quills and about one and one-half inches deep on the centre ones. The general color of the bird is brown, with wings almost deep black. The hood extends well down on the nape and is of a light tawny brown, approaching the golden hue probably as much as any of them do. The tarsus is well covered with feathers to the toes. On the whole it is a very clean and perfect specimen.—George B. Sennett, Meadville, Pa.
The Swallow-tailed Kite in Dakota.—On November 14, 1881, when a short distance west of Jamestown, Dakota Territory, I saw several Swallow-tailed Kites (Elanoïdes forficatus) flying around apparently in search of food. The day was clear and the Kites were much separated; one even was seen alone skimming along an alkali lake, showing every indication of searching for food. On November 17, farther to the west, about midway between Jamestown and Bismark, near the line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, I saw some fifty more of these beautiful birds, but this time in a flock, and each movement being common with them all it was a glorious sight. The weather had changed from that of the 14th, and was now cloudy with a brisk wind from the northwest, accompanied at times by a slight shower of rain, but this change they seemed to enjoy. So easily did they ride the storm, so beautiful were their evolutions, so much at home did they appear in mid-air, that when they had passed out of sight I was pained, for in this northern latitude such a sight is of very rare occurrence.—D. H. Talbot, Sioux City, Ia.
A Remarkable Specimen of the Pinnated Grouse (Cupidonia cupido).—While overhauling some Grouse in the Boston markets a few years since I came across a specimen which exhibits the following peculiarities of plumage:
Adult ♂ (No. 2691, author’s collection, Boston Markets, February 27, 1873—said to have come from Iowa). Ground-color above warm, brownish-cinnamon. Shorter neck-tufts or pinnate coverts, bright reddish-brown. Breast, reddish-chestnut, becoming almost clear chestnut anteriorly. A band or collar of broad, stiff feathers extends continuously around the neck in front and across the lower portion of the jugulum about in a line with the neck-tufts. These feathers although less stiff than the longest ones in the neck-tufts, are nevertheless quite as much so as the shorter ones. They make a conspicuous ruff which is mainly black mixed with a good deal of reddish-chestnut. The latter color on the shorter and overlapping feathers occurs in the form of narrow central stripes, which in some cases are nearly orange in tint; on the longer ones as a more or less broad, lateral margining.
I offer the above description solely for the purpose of calling attention to this remarkable specimen for I am entirely at a loss to account for its peculiarities. Several who have seen it have suggested that it may be a hybrid between the Prairie Hen and the Ruffed Grouse, but this hypothesis seems hardly a probable one, inasmuch as none of the combined characters which would be expected in such an offspring are here presented. The ruff does indeed remotely suggest that of Bonasa, but otherwise the bird shows all the well-marked structural characters of Cupidonia. To simply say that it is abnormal will hardly satisfy the numerous investigators of this pushing age of inquiry.—William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass.
Wilson’s Plover (Ægialites wilsonius) in New England.—Mr. W. A. Stearns sends me a letter from Mr. Arthur S. Fiske, dated Gurnet, Conn., Aug. 22, 1877. “This morning I shot a bird of this species on the beach at the south of the hotel. It was alone, though there were several flocks of other Plovers near at hand. In note and actions it closely resembled the Piping Plover, but was larger and lighter colored. Capt. Hall called it the ‘Pale Ring-neck,’ and said he had seen it at the Gurnet before.” The description given by Mr. Fiske (length 7.75 inches; bill fully 1 inch, black, etc.) leaves no doubt that the bird was Wilson’s Plover.—Elliott Coues, Washington, D. C.
Capture of Baird’s Sandpiper on Long Island.—On September 22, 1880, I shot a specimen of Tringa bairdi on Montauk, Long Island. The bird was in a flock of “Peeps” (Ereunetes pusillus), feeding on the beach of Great Pond, a brackish lake often in communication with the Sound. It so closely resembled the “Peeps” that I only noticed it on account of its larger size. The skin I preserved, though badly cut by the shot.—Daniel E. Moran, Brooklyn, N. Y.