General Notes. IO^ 



Swainson's Warbler — An Omission. — In mv article on Swainson's 

 Warbler in this number of 'The Auk,' I neglected to refer to an announce- 

 ment by Dr. G. E. Manigault (Science Record, II, Feb.. 1SS4, p. 34) 

 of the capture of two specimens near Charleston bv Mr. Wavne in 

 August. 1S83. It is, perhaps, enough to say in this connection that I 

 have been since assured by Mr. Wayne that these birds were erroneousl} 

 identified, and that they were certainly not Swainson's Warblers. — Wil- 

 liam Brewster. Cambridge. Mass. 



The Red Crossbill Breeding in Eastern Massachusetts. — Late in Mav- 

 1S84, I received information that a flock of Loxia curvirostra americana 

 had been seen on the outskirts of the town. Now this was a bird I had been 

 looking for in vain for a number of years, my last record being about ten 

 years ago. and that flock made but a short stay. So on the 31st I visited 

 the locality named, which was just the place' for them, being a ledgy 

 tract of pitch-pine, bordering on an alder and maple swamp. I found the 

 flock there, about ten birds, and secured a pair, male and female, in fine 

 adult plumage. On examination I concluded they had not yet bred, and 

 were not likely to for some time. Thinking it probable some would nest 

 there, I made several trips to the grove in June and July, but without 

 result. I requested the man who owned the premises and lived near by, 

 and who was quite interested in my search, to be on the watch for any 

 young birds, and about the middle of July, was gratified with the informa- 

 tion that he had twice seen at close quarters a pair of old birds feeding 

 their young; and he has reported their presence quite frequently since, 

 the last time being as lately as November 15. 



I regret that I cannot fix the date of hatching (interesting from being so 

 late in the season), and also that I cannot give this at 'first hand' ; but 

 my 'assistant observer' is reliable, and has often given me items of orni- 

 thological value. — F. C. Browne. Framingham, Mass. 



The Ipswich Sparrow (Passercnlus princess) in Delaware. — Two speci- 

 mens obtained Nov. 22. 1SS4. constitute. I believe, the first record of this 

 species for the State, and the only record south of Seven Mile Beach. N. J. 

 I secured them among the sandhills of Rehoboth Beach, about seven 

 miles south of Cape Henlopen, and might have found others had not mv 

 available time been limited to one hour's search. — }. Dwight. Jr.. AVt 

 York. 



Peucaea aestivalis and its Subspecies illinoensis. — While at Washington 

 last April I happened to mention to Mr. Ridgway that I had taken three 

 specimens of what seemed to be his Peuccea testivalis illinoensis at Charles- 

 ton. South Carolina, in May, 1883. This led to an examination of Audu- 

 bon's type of Fringilla backinani (preserved in the collection of the 

 National Museum) which very unexpectedly turned out to be also 

 referable to the red inland form instead of. as has been previously 

 assumed, to the dark, hlack-streaked one of Georgia and Florida. Hence 



