General Notes. 97 



A NEW NAME FOR AN AFRICAN RAT. 



The name Rattus centralis now in use for a rat described from Rhino 

 Camp, Lado Enclave, is preoccupied by Mus auricomis centralis Schwann, 

 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 190(3, vol. 1, p. 107, proposed for a South African 

 form now standing as Rattus namaquensis centralis. The Lado rat 

 (Epimys kaiseri centralis Heller, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 63, No. 7, 

 p. 10, June 24, 1914) must have a new name and may be known as Rattus 

 helleri. — N. Hollister. 



OLOR COLUMBIANUS ON THE POTOMAC RIVER. 



For many years Olor columbianus has not been at all common in winter 

 on the Potomac River, but during the winters of 1915-1916 and 1916-1917 

 it resorted in considerable numbers to this river near Widewater, Vir- 

 ginia, some 40 miles below the city of Washington. It appeared first on 

 January 17, 1916, and remained in varying numbers, usually from 200 to 

 300, until April 1, 1916. With the swans were numbers of Scaup Ducks 

 (Marila rnarila and Marila affinis), Mallards {Anas platyrhyncha) , Can- 

 vas-backs (Aristonetta valisineria), and some Red-heads (Nyroca ameri- 

 cana). During the following winter the swans came on November 14, 

 1916, and stayed until March 29, 1917. During this period the usual 

 number present was about 200, and accompanying them were mallards, 

 canvas-backs, and red-heads in considerable numbers. 



For much of the above data the writer is indebted to Miss Pickett 

 Waller, of Widewater, Virginia. — Harry C. Oberholser. 



SQUATAROLA SQUATAROLA CYNOSURAE NEAR WASHING- 

 TON, D. C. 



The only published record of the occurrence of the black-bellied plover 

 in the District of Columbia is that of a single one seen by the writer on 

 October 24, 1916, near the mouth of the Anacostia River, D. C. (Proc. 

 Biol. Soc. Wash., XXX, July 27, 1917, p. 122). There are, however, in 

 the Biological Survey collection three birds of this species in first autumn 

 plumage collected on the Anacostia River, D. C, on September 26, 1914. 

 These birds were found in the Washington Center Market by Dr. T. S. 

 Palmer, and were overlooked when I made the statement that my 

 record for October 24, 1916, was the first for the District of Columbia. 

 These specimens now substantiate the record of the bird seen last year on 

 the Anacostia River, and it seems therefore worth while to place them on 

 permanent record. — Harry C. Oberholser. 



HIEROFALCO RUSTICOLUS CANDICANS IN NORTH DAKOTA. 



Through the courtesy of Mr. H. V. Williams, of Grafton, North Dakota, 

 I am able to record the capture of a specimen of Hierofalco rusticolus 

 candicans (Gmelin) in North Dakota. This bird was taken at Grafton, 

 North Dakota, on October 7, 1908, and is preserved in Mr. Williams' 

 collection. It is in the phase formerly known as Hierfalco rusticolus 

 gyrfalco. It forms apparently the first record of the species for North 

 Dakota. — Harry C. Oberholser. 



