60 The Wilson Bulletin — No. Ill 



still some distance from the observer — a call note not at all like 

 that of the House Wren. When located it was found to be in a 

 gully at the bottom of a heavily wooded ravine. This gully was 

 partially filled with fallen leaves and other rubbish; it had an 

 overhanging edge caused by erosion and supported by the roots of 

 trees, small sticks and broken branches. The bird was hopping 

 about under this overhanging edge, making its way through the 

 tangle of roots and sticks, apparently in search of food. It ceased 

 to utter its call upon the closer approach of the observer. Oc- 

 casionally, as it took note of the presence of the observer, it woilld 

 perch on a root or twig close to the ground and remain quiet tem- 

 porarily. It exhibited many of the characteristics and mannerisms 

 of the Wren family. Ncuimis hicmalis Tiiemalis is distinguished 

 from Troglodytes aedon pai-kmani, which is the species common 

 here, by (1) its call note, already referred to; (2) its smaller size, 

 one inch or more less than' park mani ; (3) by the dusky line over 

 the eye; (4) by its general darker coloring; (5) by its shorter 

 tail, and (6) by its habitat. Its prevailing color is reddish or 

 chestnut brown above, barred with dusky, while the throat, chest 

 and under parts are a light wood-brown, speckled with buffy or 

 dusky. The short, compact tail, slightly rounded at the end, is 

 held erect. Hiemalis is a species of eastern distribution, but is 

 found rarely breeding southward to northern Indiana and Illinois 

 and central Iowa. 



A. F. ALLEN. 

 Sioux City, la., Nov. 10, 1919. 



A BANDED MALLARD 



A female mallard which had been banded by the Massa- 

 chusetts Fish and Game Commission was killed by a Norfolk, Neb., 

 hunter, M. C. Fraser, on October 26, 1919. The bird was shot 

 about twelve miles southeast of Norfolk, and was one of a number 

 of wild ducks taken at the time. The wording on the leg band 

 was as follows: "No. 350. Marshfield. Fish and Game Com. 

 State House, Boston." Upon communicating with the commission, 

 Mr. Fraser learned that this mallard, together with others, had 

 been raised at the Massachusetts state hatchery at Marshfield. 

 After being tagged, the birds were distributed over the state for 

 liberation. The mallard taken by Mr. Fraser, it is apparent, 

 joined the wild ducks in their flight northward and accompanied 

 them on their autumn migration southward. 



The mallard is one of the wild species of ducks which is easily 

 domesticated. It is the practice among hunters in this locality, 

 as it is in other localities, to rear mallards for use as live de- 



