108 Brows on Birds at Portland, Me. 



The first, specimen of Recurvirostra americana known to have been 



taken in .Maine was shot at Simontou's Cove, Cape Elizabeth, on the 

 5th of November, 1878, and passed through my hands. A notice 

 of the bird was shortly afterwards published in the ''Portland Press" 

 by the Portland Natural History Society, in whose cabinet the 

 specimen is preserved. I should add that reports have reached me 

 of the occurrence of several other individuals of this species about 

 the same time, but have not been traceable to any authentic source. 



I am not aware that any of the scientific papers * relating to the 

 birds of Maine include the name of Rallus longirostris. It appears, 

 however, to be a rare visitor to the State. Mr. Samuel Hanson, a 

 gentleman who is perfectly familiar with the species, has given me 

 three instances of its occurrence in the vicinity of Portland. One 

 specimen was killed by himself, in Falmouth, on the 17th of Octo- 

 ber, 1866, and about the same time two others were noticed in the 

 game-bag of a sportsman in the same town. A probable fourth 

 specimen (if correctly identified, doubtless the first killed in the 

 State) was shot by my friend Mr. Luther Redlow, about September, 

 L864. It proved a "sp. nov." to all local sportsmen, and was pro- 

 nounced to be of the species in question only after comparison with 

 printed descriptions. 



Two young examples of Hydrochelidon lariformis were taken in 

 Scarborough the past autumn, and are probably, with one exception, 

 the first detected within the limits of the State. Professor Verrill 

 gives the bird as rare in Maine, but writes me of it: "I think its 

 occurrence rests on examinations of a specimen or specimens formerly 

 in the Portland Natural History Society's collection before ir was 

 burned. I cannot remember whether I ever saw more than one or 

 not." And since not only the Society's entire collection, but all its 

 records, were destroyed in the great \\rc of 1866, it must remain a 

 matter of doubt whether more than one specimen existed in its cabi- 

 net before that time. 



* A contributor writing from Portsmouth to the defunct " Couutry," under 

 il February 1 I, l. s 7s. noted the capture <>f a " Rallus crepitans" at York, 

 Me., in the Ias1 week of December, ls7.">. Since the gentleman chose to con- 

 ceal liis identity nnder the initial " lv," 1 am unable to say under whose spon- 

 sorship this record was made, but regard it as probably correct. Mr Purdie 

 writes me thai his allusion on page 22, Vol. [I, of this Bulletin, to the bird's 

 occurrence in Maim- was based on a knowledge of the same specimen, which, he 

 was preserved by Mr. Vickery, of Lynn, .Mass. 



