122 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 



AUTUMN WATER-BIRD RECORDS AT WASHINGTON, D. C. 



The autumn of 1916 at Washington, D. C. , Mas ornithologically most 

 notable for the number of late shore-bird records. Dredging operations 

 along the Anacostia River formed extensive artificial areas of mud-flats 

 and ponds that proved exceedingly attractive to shore birds. For a month 

 or more a flock varying from 50 to 100 birds of several species, the most 

 numerous of which M'ere the pectoral sandpiper (Pisobia maculata) and 

 red-backed sandpiper (Pelidna alpina pacifica), frequented this place. 

 On October 24 the writer saw here the killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus 

 vociferus), one black-bellied plover (Squatarola squatarola cynosurae) 

 (first record for the District of Columbia), least sandpiper (Pisobia min- 

 utilla), pectoral sandpiper (Pisobia maculata), red-backed sandpiper 

 (Pelidna alpina pacifica) , semipalmated sandpiper (Ereunetes pusillus), 

 white-rumped sandpiper (Pisobia fuscicollis) (second record for the Dis- 

 trict of Columbia, the first having been made by Mr. Francis Harper on 

 October 8, 1916, in the same locality), greater yellow-legs (Totanus 

 melanoleucus), and lesser yellow-legs (Totanus flavipes). Other species 

 of shore-birds subsequently seen were a stilt sandpiper (Micropalama 

 himantopus), October 26, by Francis Harper (the only other District of 

 Columbia record for which is September 8, 1885) ; wilson snipe (Gallinago 

 delicata), October 26, by Francis Harper; and the solitary sandpiper 

 (Tringa solitaria solitaria), October 28, by Mr. L. D. Miner. 



The latest autumn occurrences of several species were extended by these 

 observations to the dates below mentioned, the dates in parentheses 

 being the latest previous records: 



Lesser yellow-legs ( Totanus flavipes), November 2 (October 2) ; greater 

 yellow-legs (Totanus melanoleucus), October 26 (September 30); semi- 

 palmated sandpiper (Ereunetes pusillus), October 28 (October 26); soli- 

 tary sandpiper (Tringa solitaria solitaria), October 28 (September 30) ; 

 least sandpiper (Pisobia minutilla), November 2 (September 3) ; pectoral 

 sandpiper {Pisobia maculata), November 2 (October 22). 



The shoveller (Spatula clypeata), of which there were only three pre- 

 vious Washington records, was seen on October 25 and 26, and on Nov- 

 ember 5, 1916. — Harry C. Oberholser. 



PIRANGA RUBRA RUBRA IN COLORADO. 



The Cooper Tanager has for many years stood as a bird of Colorado, 

 on the basis of a specimen taken by Mr. H. W. Henshaw and recorded 

 by him in the Report upon Geographical and Geological Explorations 

 and Surveys west of the 100th Meridian, V, 1875, p. 239. This specimen 

 we have recently examined and found to be a perfectly typical immature 

 male of the eastern Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra rubra). It was 

 taken at Denver, Colorado, May 12, 1873, and is No. 72,085 of the 

 United States National Museum collection. By reason of this discovery 

 Piranga rubra cooperi must be removed from the list of Colorado birds, 

 and Piranga rubra rubra added to the catalogue of the birds of this State. 



— Harry C. Oberholser. 



