General Notes. 123 



mention is made of several specimens seen at Hingham, Mass., in June, 

 1878, one pair seen feeding their young. 



Although this bird has heen rarely met with of late years in the State, 

 yet it would seem that a limited number must breed with us every year. 



Through the kindness of Mr. N. C. Hammond I am enabled to record 

 an instance of its breeding in Hyde Park, Mass., where he collected a nest 

 containing four eggs, about August 1, 1878. The nest was placed on the 

 ground in the middle of a large open field, and from the lateness of this 

 date would indicate that it must have been a second brood. — Ruthven 

 Deaxe, Cambridge, Mass. 



Rare Birds in Michigan. — In a recent letter from Dr. H. A. Atkins, 

 of Locke, Ingham Co., Mich., among various ornithological items of 

 general interest occur the following, which he has kindly placed at my 

 disposal. Writing under date of November 19, 1878, he says: "This 

 fall the Western Meadow Lark (Sturnella neghcta) drifted in here. Sev- 

 eral quite large flocks were seen ; they were first observed about Septem- 

 ber 28 ; the last were noticed October 19." He speaks of their being 

 more in flocks than is the Eastern Meadow Lark, and as frequenting trees 

 and elevated positions. He refers especially to their song, which he con- 

 siders " in point of sweetness nearly equal to the notes of the Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak," and wonders that any one can consider the bird as merely a 

 variety of the common Meadow Lark. He adds that the Western Meadow 

 Lark has also been met with at Ann Arbor by Mr. A. B. Covert. 



He also notes the occurrence of the Oregon Snow-Bird (Junco oregomts), 

 of which he says he " shot two, and saw perhaps twelve or fifteen in all." 

 They were first noticed October 11, and last seen October 30 (1878). He 

 says : " I also took alive, October 22, a fine specimen of the Chestnut-bicked 

 Snow-Bird (Junco caniceps), found in a flock of the common Snow-Birds." 

 The Oregon Snow-Bird he believes will yet be found to be quite common 

 in Michigan, and that it possibly extends to quite a distance south and 

 east. — J. A. Alxen, Cambridge, Mass. 



The Cow-Blackbird of Texas and Arizona (Molothrus obscurus). 



— Dr. Merrill has called my attention to a grave error in " Xorth Amer- 

 ican Birds " (II, p. 157) in regard to the measurement of the eggs of the 

 Southern variety of the Cow Blackbird. It is there given as .60x.55, an 

 obvious error for .70 x .55, but even this is too small. In a set of eggs from 

 Arizona the least length is .72 and the least breadth .58 ; average, .73 x .59. 

 In a series from Matamoras, .72 is the least and .75 the greatest length, 

 and .55 the least diameter; average, .74 x.57. In a fine series of fifteen 

 eggs from Fort Browr, Texas, the length varies from .74 to .81, and the 

 diameter from .59 to .64. The average length is .77, the average 

 diameter .62. The eggs from Fort Brown range much larger than those 

 from Arizona or even from Matamoras, on the opposite side of the Rio 

 Grande. — T. M. Brewer, Boston, Mass. 



