90 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 17-No. 6 



occasions, both times being in the fall of the 

 year. 



728. Red-breasted Nuthatch {Sitta canaden- 

 siti). Common in latter part of September and 

 early October. 



730. Carolina Chickadee {Paritfi caruli- 

 nctisin). Common. Have observed this 

 species on the beach every month of the year 

 except January and February. A few 

 breed on the beach. 



748. Golden-crowned Kinglet {Regiiliis 

 salrapa). Common from September until 

 the following April ; not observed in summer. 



74i>. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (lieyulus calen- 

 dula). Not quite as common as the 

 Golden-crowned; not observed in summer. 



7.'58a. Olive-backed Thrush {Turdus nslulatuN 

 mnahisonii). Not common. A few seen in 

 spring and fall. 



1'A)b. Hermit Thrush {Tardus aonalanchlcw 

 2nillafiii). Common spring and fall migrant. 



761. American Robin (Mcriila mUjratoria). 

 Common except during the breeding season, 

 few if any remaining on the beach for purposes 

 of nidification. Hundreds iind shelter on the 

 beach during winter. 



7G6. Bluebird {Sialia sialis). Common 

 spring and fall migrant. Have not observed 

 the species during the summer or winter 

 months. Philip Laurent. 



Notes on the Ducks of Cohasset, 

 Mass., 1860-92. 



Althongh from early boyhood I have been 

 interested in the study of birds, I have made a 

 special study of the group, which, to an orni- 

 thologist, would be known as the Anatidui 

 and to a sportsman, as the Ducks and Geese. 

 I have made Cohasset, Mass., the field of my 

 labors, and, aided by my father, have taken 

 notes there for over thirty years. The result 

 is a pretty thorough knowledge of the habits 

 of the Scoters and other Ducks which share in 

 the great autumnal migration, and, not less 

 interesting to the ornithologist, a record of 

 many Ducks which one would not suppose of 

 even accidental occurrence. 



In presenting the list which follows, I have 

 adopted the method proposed by you in the 

 O. & O. of using numbers instead of Latin 

 names. In these days when an unoffending 

 Duck rejoices in half a dozen barbaric appella- 

 tions, plain Ridgway English is good enough 

 for me. Hoping that the following list will 



contain some data which will prove interest- 

 ing, even in these days when it seems as if the 

 average ornithologist "knows it all," I 

 aijpend my notes which include remarks on 

 twenty-five varieties, four or five of which I 

 have been greatly surprised to find so far from 

 their usual haunts. 



1. Red-breasted Merganser (Ridg. l;;0). 

 Common during fall migration. A few stay 

 through the winter, remaining until May. 



2. Hooded Merganser (131). Uncommon. 

 Mr. C. L. Curtis has sent me six or eight speci- 

 mens shot on a small pond, late in December. 



3. Mallard (132). Uncommon. Taken 

 yearly, but in small numbers. 



4. Black Duck (133). Common dining the 

 fall migration. 



5. Green-winged Teal (139). Formerly fairly 

 common, but during the last ten years rarely 

 met with. 



6. Blue-winged Teal (140). Abundant thirty 

 or forty years ago, but lately almost as rare as 

 the preceeding. 



7. Baldpate (137). In all, five specimens 

 have been taken since 1800. 



8. Slioveller (142). One adult $ taken by 

 Mr. B. C. Clark during the fall of 18()3. 



9. Pintail (143). Occasionally met with, 

 usually in company with fiocks of Scoters. 



10. Wood Duck (144). Dr. G. G. Sears shot an 

 adult $ in October, 1881 while cooting. Occa- 

 sionally taken on small inland ponds. 



11. Redhead (140). Rare. I have records 

 of two or three which were taken previous to 

 1880. Since then none have been shot. 



12. Canva.s-back (147). Very rare. One 

 taken by Mr. B. C. Clark, Novembei-, 1883. 



13. American Scaup Duck (148). fairly 

 common during fall. 



14. Lesser Scaup Duck (149). Rather less 

 common than preceeding. 



15. American Golden-eye (151). Common 

 during fall and winter, but much scarcer than 

 formerly. 



10. Old Squaw (154). Abundant during fall. 

 A number remain until spring. 



17. Harlequin Duck (155). Very rare. One 

 $ taken by Mr. C. V. Bamer, November 3, 1887. 



18. American Eider (100). Uncommon, and 

 usually very shy. I have records of eight or 

 ten specimens which have been taken dtiring 

 seven northeast storms. 



19. Buftie-head (153). Fairly common. 



20. American Scoter (103). The least 

 abundant of all the Scoters, but during Novem- 

 ber the young of this species are quite numer- 

 ous and furnish good shooting. 



