346 THE NATURAIvIST OF THK ST. CROIX 



Workmen cutting logs on Lee river, Vt., in February, 1878, 

 found a nest and young of the Crossbill. This is not unusual as 

 Mr. Boardmau has found them breeding in winter in the vicinity 

 of Eastport, Maine. — Forest and Stream, March 7, 1878. 



On May 29, 1880, Mr. Gordon Plummer of Brookline, Mass., 

 shot in that town a beautiful specimen of the adult male blue 

 Grosbeak. This is believed to be the only specimen of this species 

 ever taken in Massachusetts. None previous to this has ever 

 been recorded. We have the record of one specimen only, taken 

 in New England, which was shot in Maine nineteen years ago and 

 is now in the possession of Mr. George A. Boardman, the eminent 

 ornithologist. — Forest and Stream, June 24, 1880. 



When up in northern Dakota this fall, I was told by a herder 

 of a very curious eagle's nest, composed largely of buffalo ribs, 

 which I went to see. It was upon a hillock, and could be seen a 

 long distance ofl". There were about forty ribs, one end of each 

 turning up, then filled in with nearly a cart load of turf and 

 rubbish. It had been used this year, and looked as if it had been 

 used many years. Saw no birds as they had left, so could not tell 

 the species, but the large bufl'alo ribs in the foundation of a bird's 

 nest looked very strange. — Forest and Stream, Dec. 28, 1882. 



I saw a few weeks ago an interesting paper from Byrne about 

 vultures, and perhaps it would interest him and others to know 

 how far north tlie black vulture occurs. Last September, when 

 shooting in northern Dakota, about twelve miles north of Sanborn, 

 I saw quite a large number of birds I supposed to be the common 

 turkey buzzard, aura, but, one coming near, I saw it to be the 

 short tail species, atratns. Soon another came near, which I shot, 

 as 1 wanted to be sure there was no mistalvc about its being a 

 black vulture. The bird did not appear to have any of the strong 

 smell I have found in the specimens taken in the South. I have 

 also found the bird in the East, nearly the same parallel, in north- 

 ern Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where aura is very 

 seldom found. The turkey buzzard is common about Lake Miuue- 

 touka in summer, but I never have seen atratns in Minnesota and 

 was nmch surprised to find the bird in Dakota. In regard to the 

 way buzzards sustain a flight so long, soaring in the air without 



