22 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



latter I consider much the more northern bird.' "(Signed) William 

 Dutcher, New York City. 



At the time we were working on "List of Birds of Maine" Mr. 

 Boardman wrote that others had been seen but not taken, which 

 would doubtless give him the right under the existing conditions to 

 say "not uncommon some seasons," and I for one believe that his 

 remarks regarding the Black Vulture in Maine were correct. 



It will be noted in Mr. Boardman's letter to Mr. Dutcher, which 

 is quoted, he writes: "Only one speciman of the Turkey Buzzard 

 has been secured in this locality." This supports my own evidence 

 in a recent discussion regarding the Turkey Buzzard, and I think 

 finally settles the matter. 



Plumage of the King Eider Drake. 



Somatcria spcdabilis (Linn.). 



In the Auk for January, 1900 (Vol. XVII, p. 16) there was 

 published an article entitled, "The Perfected Plumage of the King 

 Eider." The point of particular interest was the development of a 

 part of the outer web of the two outermost tertials in a manner to 

 form a tuft on each side over the decurved (in the folded wing) 

 inner secondaries. 



This modification of the tertials seems to be a constant feature 

 of the males (though rarely well developed in birds taken on this 

 coast), and as it seems to have received little attention from writers, 

 a photograph of the specimen described in the Atck, retouched by 

 Mr. Walter Rich, is shown in a plate in this number of the Journal. 



