268 ARDEID^ : HERONS. 



has thus far been found in New England. One of 

 these is that recorded by Mr. Allen, Lynn, Mass. 

 October, 1862 (Amer. Nat., iii, 1870, p. 6'^'/). This is 

 believed to be the first authentic New England record. 

 The second case known to us is that of a young bird 

 taken at Somerville, Mass., July 30, 1878, as recorded by 

 Mr. Brewster (Bull. Nutt. Club, iv, 1879, p. 124), and 

 by Dr. Brewer (Pr. Bost. Soc, xx, 1879, p. 272). Mr. 

 Brewster's interesting note is transcribed in full, with our 

 usual generosity toward those who are unwise or unfor- 

 tunate enough not to take the Nuttall Bulletin — a work 

 which, by the way, gives more important information 

 respecting the birds of North America than any other 

 equal number of pages of print which have appeared in 

 this country since 1876 : " On the afternoon of July 30, 

 1878, Mr. George Cunningham — who resides in a 

 rather densely populated part of Somerville, just beyond 

 the line separating that city from Cambridge, was 

 attracted by a commotion among the Robins and other 

 small birds in the orchard behind the house. Upon 

 investigating the cause of this unusual excitement, a 

 large bird was seen to take flight and disappear over an 

 adjoining fence. Shortly after this there was another 

 alarm from the orchard, and it was found that the 

 strange intruder had returned. A neighbor, who is 

 fond of shooting, was called in, the bird winged, and 

 after a sharp chase overtaken. It showed plenty of 

 fight, and, to use the words of its captor, ' chattered very 

 like a monkey.' . . . The specimen is in the spotted 

 immature plumage, and is apparently very young, inas- 

 much as many of its feathers still retain the peculiar 

 hair-like filaments which characterize the downy stage of 

 Herons, and which are pushed outward on the tip of the 



