604 abstracts: ornithology 



ordinarily at its height. In 1917, however, the high tide of the migra- 

 tion was not reached until May 17 to 23, nearly ten days later than 

 usual. On the other hand, in 1917 some of the early migrants were 

 very numerous for so late in the season, as, for instance, Sitta cana- 

 densis canadensis, Lanivireo solitarius solitarius, and Carpodacus pur- 

 pureus purpureus. The occurrence of an exceptional number of rare 

 and of occasional visitors at the time our census was taken aided mate- 

 rially in swelling the total number of species observed. This peculiar 

 combination of circumstances which made possible such a great record 

 is not likely to recur for many years. The most noteworthy of these 

 rarities are probably Phalacrocorax auritus auritus, Bonasa umbellus 

 umbellus, Bartramia loJigicauda, Pelidria alpina pacifica, Pisohia fusci- 

 collis, Lotus atricilla megalopterus, Chlidonias nigra surinamensis, 

 Hydroprogne caspia imperator, and Sterna hirundo. 



The following fourteen species were present on this date (May 11, 

 1917), later in spring than ever previously observed in the vicinity of 

 Washington: Anas platyrhyncha, Anas ruhripes tristis, Lophodytes 

 cucullatus, Tringa solitaria solitaria, Bartramia longicauda, Pelidna 

 alpina pacifica, Pisohia fuscicollis, Larus argentatus, Larus delawarensis, 

 Larus atricilla megalopterus, Hydroprogne caspia imperator, Sterna 

 hirundo, Euphagus carolinus, Spizella monticola monticola. 



H. C. 0. 



ORNITHOLOGY. — Notes on the subspecies of Numenius americanus 

 Bechstein. Harry C. Oberholser. The Auk 35: 188-195. 1918. 

 There are two geographic races of Numenius americanus. The 

 typical form, Numenius americanus americanus Bechstein, breeds in 

 the western United States, excepting the northernmost part, and 

 migrates east to the eastern United States and Newfoundland, and 

 south to Mexico and Guatemala. The smaller northern race described 

 as Numenius americanus parvus Bishop, but which has an earlier name 

 in Numenius americanus occidentalis Woodhouse, breeds in southwest- 

 ern Canada and the northern part of the western United States, and 

 migrates south to Mexico, east to Iowa, casually to Rhode Island, 

 South Carolina, and even to Jamaica. H. C. 0. 



ORNITHOLOGY.— Mw^anda ornithologica. III. Harry C. Ober- 

 holser. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 31: 47-50. May 16, 1918. 

 Messrs. Brabourne and Chubb have recently renamed Haematopus 

 ater Sharpe from the Falkland Islands Haematopus quoyi, but there 



