oOS Anxals of the Carnegie Museum. 



utterly unreliable observer, and all of his pul)lished records are thus 

 open to doubt. Dr. Warren goes on to state that " Mr. George B. 

 Sennett . . . has observed the Black Tern in the vicinity of Erie city 

 only during the spring and fall," and to support this statement there 

 are a pair of birds in Mr. Sennett's collection taken September 23, 

 1 87 5. The only definite spring record available refers to an indi- 

 vidual in full breeding dress seen on the bay April 27, 1902, by Mr. 

 Simjxson. Mr. PJacon has never met with the species save in Septem- 

 ber, 1900, so that in its occurrence even as a fall transient it would 

 seem to be irregular. The writer found it verv common at the St. 

 Clair Flats and along the Detroit River late in August, 1903, and it is 

 singular that in its migrations it should not regularly extend to the 

 eastward along Lake Erie. Our notes on its occurrence in 1900 are 

 presented herewith. Several small flocks were seen on the main lake 

 September 12, after the most severe storm of the season. On Septem- 

 ber 15 two were seen on the bay, one of which was secured. On the 

 evening of September 16 the species suddenly became very prominent 

 on the bay about Crystal Point, and on the following day, which 

 dawned stormy and threatening, with frecjuent gusts of rain and a strong 

 northwest wind, it was exceedingly abundant, swarming on both the 

 bay and lake, far outnumbering the Common Terns, which were flying 

 at the same time. The birds were perfectly tame, silent, and very fear- 

 less, repeatedly coming within a yard of the observer in their flight. 

 They would beat up against the wind for a distance and then drift 

 down before it, occasionally stopping over the water to pick up food, 

 and on the outside beach flying over the land and the ponds back 

 of the shore, without discrimination. Inciividuals in the postnuptial 

 moult, showing a black and white spotted plumage, occurred with the 

 birds in immature and full winter dress in the proportion of about one 

 to one hundred. The day after this great flight comparatively few 

 birds were seen, and these mainly on Erie Bay alone. Such were 

 almost always more or less closely associated with Common Terns, and 

 like them were often found resting on pieces of floating drit"twood. The 

 last was recorded Sei)tember 24. 

 15. Phalacrocorax dilophus. Double-crested Cormorant. 



The notes on this species would indicate that it occurs sparingly, but 

 regularly, as a transient in late fall and early winter. Dr. Warren so 

 gives it on the authority of Messrs. Cieorge B. Sennett and James 

 Thompson, and mentions a s])ecimen shot by the latter on October 



