212 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



and another on September 29th, 1903. On January 10th, 1904, Mr. J. M. 

 Dodge saw one in Topsfield. On May 2 1st, 1904, Mr. J. R. Mann saw an adult 

 and one in immature plumage in Topsfield, and on July 21st, 1904, I saw one at 

 Ipswich Beach, and again, probably the same bird, on July 28th. 



Newspaper stories appear from time to time, in various parts of the 

 country, of children being carried off or attempts being made in that direction, 

 by Eagles. In the Boston papers of October 17th, 1903, there was a long 

 account of such an attempt, the classical eagle story. It began: " Carl Russell, 

 of Lynnfield, fought a terrific battle yesterday with four gigantic Eagles, which 

 had swooped down on two small children. Russell killed one of the birds, and 

 after firing twenty shots at the other three, finally drove them away. The 

 children escaped unhurt. Russell's clothing was torn to tatters, and he was 

 badly scratched about the hands and face." I wrote to Mr. Russell who kindly 

 replied that he had shot an American Osprey, and that there were no children 

 anywhere about, but that a reporter hearing he had shot a large bird, had 

 invented the story out of whole cloth ! One paper even went so far as to give 

 photographs of the children attacked ! 



[354a] Falco rusticolus gyrfalco (Linn.). Gvrfalcon. This bird, in the collection of Mr. 

 William Brewster, was originally reported as a Black Gvrfalcon shot "near Lynn" 1 ; but 

 Mr. Brewster 2 states that it was shot at Melrose, and therefore outside of the County, on 

 January ist, 1S91. 



152 [354b] Falco rusticolus obsoletus (Gmel.). 

 Black Gyrfalcon. 



Very rare winter visitor. 



A male 3 was shot at Ipswich by J. J. Gould, on November 7th, 1874, and 

 is now in the Peabody Academy collection. A female 4 was shot at Ipswich, on 

 March nth, 1893, and was mounted by N. Vickary. A third specimen in fine 

 plumage was shot at Ipswich, by G. L. Woodbury about 1898, in the spring, and 

 is now owned by Dr. F. H. Stockwell of Ipswich. 



1 A. M. Tufts: Ornithologist and Oologist, vol. 16, p. 61, 1S91. 



2 Wm. Brewster, ed. : Minot's Land-birds and Game-birds of New England, p. 479, 1895. 

 J H. A. Purdie: Bull. Nuttall Urn. Club, vol. 4, p. 1S9, 1879. 



*N. Vickary: Ornithologist and Oologist, vol. iS, p. 51, 1S93; also Wm. Brewster, ed. : 

 Minot's Land-birds and Game-birds of New England, p. 480, 1S95. 



