92 General Notes. [eue 
The Acadian Chickadee was in the shrubbery bordering Willow Pond 
in Hewlett Park associating, but not intimately, with Black-capped 
Chickadees and Kinglets and finally descending alone to bathe at the shore 
of the lake. Watching it the observer suddenly became mystified and 
excited — it was not a Black-capped Chickadee! ,What then could it be? 
The momentary impression was of a “‘ Chickadee with something missing, 
like a person lacking an arm or a leg.’”’ What was wanting was quickly 
discovered to be the black cap, the top of the head being dull brown, 
scarcely darker in shade than the brownish back, and at strong contrast 
with the black throat; the wings were darker than those of the Black- 
capped Chickadee, and the sides below the wings were dark chestnut 
brown even deeper in color than the underparts of a Red-breasted Nuthatch. 
All this, related to me, left nothing to be asked for in the way of description. 
But there was further confirmation. The bird’s notes were not at all those 
of the Black-capped Chickadee, and a description and imitation of them 
were quite realistic, enough to send my memory back to the first and only 
Acadian Chickadee that I had ever met with. This was near Lake Terror 
in the Adirondacks in company with Dr. C. Hart Merriam, October 31, 
1882, when the very distinctive notes of the bird were what alone drew 
attention to it. The specimen is still in my collection and was instantly 
recognized by my daughter as being nearly identical with the bird she had 
so carefully studied in life the same afternoon. 
The species has not before been reported from Long Island or the vicinity 
of New York, nor from further south, I think, than Poughkeepsie on the 
Hudson (Bird-Lore, X VI: 448-449, Maunsell 8. Crosby). 
It seems well to give early announcement of this occurrence that other 
observers near New York may be put on watch. The early date of the 
bird’s appearance seems to hint that the species may be repeating the 
southward migration that has excited so much attention in recent winters, 
and that the movement is progressive and has this year reached a more 
southern point than at any time before.— Eugene P. BickNnELL, New 
York City. 
Alaska Hermit Thrush in Northeastern Illinois.— While hunting 
for Crossbills in the pine barrens at Beach, Lake County, Illinois, Novem- 
ber 5, 1916, I secured a specimen of Hylocichla guttata guttata, which was 
in a juniper along Dead River. It proved to be an adult male, and 
measured before skinning, length 5.75 in., extent 10 in., wing 3.62 in., 
tail 2.75 in., culmen .40 in. (Coll. H. K. C. No. 20455). 
I have recently compared this bird with specimens from the West Coast — 
in the collections of Dr. Dwight and the U.S. National Museum, and find 
them to be identical. Dr. Dwight and Mr. Oberholser have also kindly 
identified the specimen for me.— Henry K. Coauz, Highland Park, 
Illinois. 
Winter Birds at Newton Highlands, Massachusetts.— We are 
enjoying a remarkable flight of winter birds seldom seen here. Already 
