General Notes. 197 



Tragic Fate of a Summer Warbler. — A pair of Dendmca (estiva 

 built for their second brood in a bush in the garden. Being interested to 

 learn the progress of their domestic lives, I visited the spot frequently. 

 On the fifth day I found the poor mother-bird hanging dead from the half- 

 finished nest by a piece of cord which was twisted tightly around her 

 neck. — W. L. Collins, Frankfort P. 0., Pa. {Communicated by E. G.) 



Eggs of the Solitary Sandpiper (Rhyacophilus solitarius, Bp.). — The 

 egg of this species has remained, to the present time, an unknown and 

 much-desired addition to our cabinets. From time to time eggs claimed 

 to be of this bird have been described, or have had a nominal existence 

 in collections. But these claims have always been open to suspicion and 

 doubt. The eggs have all either had so strong a resemblance to either the 

 egg of the Spotted Tatler (Tringoides macularius) or to that of the Kill- 

 deer {JEgialitis vociferus) as to cause the belief that their identification 

 could not have been correctly made. During the last year eggs were sent 

 to me for verification from five different parties, and all were deemed not 

 worthy of credence. A few days ago, hearing of a Solitary Tatler having 

 been shot near her nest, and an egg obtained, in Castleton, Vt., I at 

 once wrote to the party, and have obtained from him a temporary loan of 

 both parent and egg, with permission to describe the same in the Bulletin. 



The bird and egg were taken by Mr. Jenness Richardson about the mid- 

 dle of May, — I have not the exact date, — 1878, at Lake Bomaseen, 

 on the ground, in a pasture bordering on a swamp. The bird was on her 

 nest when first discovered, but fluttered off when approached, ran a short 

 distance, then stood still, watching him until she was secured. There was 

 no actual nest, only a small depression in the ground. I am informed by 

 Mr. Richardson that the bird is quite common in that locality, but very 

 shy. This egg resembles no egg in my possession, and in its appearance 

 there is something suggestive of an egg prematurely cut from its parent. 

 It is smaller than I anticipated, measuring only 1.37 X .95, while the 

 egg of Totanus ochropus, which bird closely corresponds in size and appear- 

 ance with our Solitary, measures 1.50 X 1.10. The ground-color is a light 

 drab, similar to that of the egg of JEgialilis melodus. Over this are scat- 

 tered small rounded markings of brown, some of these quite dark, nowhere 

 confluent, and never large enough to be called blotches. At the larger 

 end there are a few faint purplish or lilac discolorations or shell-marks. 

 In shape it is an elongated pyxiform. — T. M. Brewer, Boston, Mass. 



Lincoln's Finch (Mdospim lincolni) breeding in Hamilton County, 

 N. Y. — On the 13th of June, 1878, while on a fishing trip in the wilderness 

 of New York, my companions and myself were skirting (two on one side 

 and two on the other) a beautiful little pond in Hamilton County, N. Y., 

 which is dignified with the name of " Moose Lake," when one of the party 

 from the opposite side called across to me, " Do you want a bird's nest ? " 

 On my expressing surprise at such an unnecessary question, he shouted 



