JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 29 



IS IT A HYBRID? 



The Associate Editor desires to note the personal capture of a 

 Duck drake, at first supposed to be a very large specimen of the 

 Dusky Duck {anas obscura), but which upon examination would 

 appear to be a hybrid. The bird was taken, with its mate, in April, 

 and is in magnificent plumage, very dark, the light borders to the 

 breast leathers being much restricted. 



My attention was first attracted to a raised place along the cul- 

 men, just in front of the no.strils, which, as it was flecked with blood, 

 I supposed was caused by a shot lodging within the bill, but closer 

 examination showed the protuberance was a natural growth. This 

 is about .75 long, rounding off at the front, about .13 high in the 

 middle, and .25 in the widest part. The hind head is streaked on 

 either side with a beautiful green, while the chin close to the under 

 mandible is marked by a sharply defined circular l)rown spot nearly 

 as large as a silver half dollar. 



This Duck measured a strong twentj'-five inches in length, 

 and was proportionally large, weighing some time after being taken 

 three pounds and three ounces. It is now in our private collection, 

 where all are welcome to examine it. 



A DOVEKIE INLAND AND ITS SAD FATE. 



Prof. W. D. Powers, of Gardiner, reports a peculiar incident — 

 perhaps we should have said accident — wdierein a Dovekie {alle 

 alle), a strictly maritime bird and the smallest of sea fowl, came 

 to an untimely end in that city. This little sea pigeon evidently 

 wandered or was driven by- a storm inland from the sea. 



At Gardiner the ice harvesters had cleared a place on the Ken- 

 nebec for ice cutting, and it showed clear black ice in sharp con- 

 trast to the rest of the snow-covered river. The bird without doubt 

 supposed he spied some open water wherein he could rest and feed 

 and dove for it, as he had been accustomed to do. There could be 

 but one result when his tiny frame came in contact with the hard 

 ice. The breath was driven from his wee, chunky Ijody and he was 

 found dead by some passers-by. 



