BIRDS OF NEW YORK 543 



at Grand island, Niagara river, September 18, 1908. It seems unaccount- 

 able that another specimen of this bird should be taken in the same spot 

 as the specimen recorded in volume I after so many years and without 

 any other specimen of the species having occurred in any of the adjoining 

 states. 



In 19 12 there was another great slaughter of Whistling swans in Niagara 

 river between March 18th and April 6th, but mostly on the latter date. 

 Nearly 200 swans were swept over the falls and perished (see Fleming, Auk, 

 19:445-98). Since the "Niagara swan trap" is working such devastation 

 upon one of our most interesting waterfowl, we believe that it should be 

 the duty of the State Conservation Commission to station a protector on 

 Goat island every spring between March 10th and April 10th, when the 

 weather is favorable for swan migration, and drive the birds up the river, 

 so as to prevent their destruction by being drawn over the falls. 



In February 19 12, on account of the unusual extent of ice formation on 

 Lake Ontario and the entire freezing of Seneca, Cayuga and other central 

 lakes, many hundreds of waterfowl perished of starvation, especially Can- 

 vasback, Redhead, Scaup, Whistler, Bufflehead, Horned grebe and Holboell 

 grebe, but large numbers of the ducks were saved by feeding with grain 

 under the direction of the Conservation Commission and various local 

 sportsmen's clubs. 



We regret to record that a further impetus to the extermination of 

 the Wood duck has occurred in the continued draining of the Montezuma 

 marshes in connection with the barge canal construction, and in the 

 destruction of a large portion of the Potter swamp nesting coverts by 

 reason of cutting away the timber for barrel staves. 



Of all the species of birds which we had hoped to find nesting in the 

 Adirondacks, such as the Bay-breasted warbler and Philadelphia vireo, no 

 success has as yet rewarded our efforts in adding any new breeding species 

 to the New York list. 



Elon Howard Eaton 

 Hobart College 



Geneva N. Y. 



