General Notes. 35 



It is also true that in most sections of the country there has been 

 a dearth of bird life in general which has caused universal remark. 

 Speaking for northern Ohio, I have been unable to discover any 

 unusual food conditions which might explain the appearance of the 

 owls or the scarcity of other birds. No doubt the influx of owls 

 was but an unusually marked symptom of a similar southward 

 movement of practically all birds which habitually spend the win- 

 ter months in ice bound parts of the country. If all indications 

 are not deceptive on this point we shall have to look again for the 

 explanation of these southward flights. It is fnterestiug to no- 

 tice that these southward flights of the Snowy Owl, the Hawk 

 Owl, the Pine Grosbeak, the Redpoll, and the White-winged Cross- 

 bill, not to prolong the list, do not seem to have any cotnnection 

 with each other. In other words, the influences which seem to be 

 acting upon one of these species to bring about a southward win- 

 ter movement many not affect the others at all. Reports from 

 southern Ontario indicate that there has been no unusual move- 

 ment of the owls there the past winter, w^hile at places a hundred 

 or more miles south of Ontario the number of specimens captured 

 and seen was sufficient to cause general remark. Were the con- 

 ditions in northern Ontario, or even farther north, particularly un- 

 favorable for passing the winter, or were the central districts into 

 which the birds passed unusually favorable, or were both of these 

 influences combined? It is an enticing subject for practical field 

 work. Its solution is entirely possible. 



■ GENERAL NOTES. 



A Vulture Pje. — Of all the gastronomic stunts performed, the 

 record w^as completely shattered in this county last summer. A 

 resident cf Atglen, possessing much better markmanship than 

 judgment, and no respect at all for some of the laws of the com- 

 monwealth, came into town with a mixed bunch of birds, the 

 largest a specimen of the Turkey Vulture. Being utterly worth- 

 less to him he very kindly (?) presented them to an Italian work- 

 ing on the "Low Grade Freight Line." The dago proudly carried 

 the string to his boarding house shanty. The Vulture, being the 

 largest, was naturally considered the prize, so it was cleaned, and 

 stuffed with plenty of garlic, and the entire household proceeded 

 to make a meal of it; with the result that all were made deathly 

 sick. The next day one of the participants gravely observed to 

 the donor: "Big bird no good!" He didn't seem to appreciate his 

 blessings! Fraxk L. Burxs, Berwyn, Pa. 



RED-TTfKOATED Loox AT Grassy Souxd, N. J. — A most interesting 

 New Jersey record is that of a Red-throated Loon (Urinator lunv- 



