IIO General Notes. [January 



the Des Plaines River, thirty miles northwest of Chicago. It is an adult 

 female, and measured in the flesh 21.75 inches in length and 40 inches in 

 extent. It was captured while perched on a stake in a field not far from 

 the 'big woods.' Another large, light colored Hawk was seen which 

 might have been the male, but it was too wary to allow a near approach. 

 — II. K. Coale, Chicago, III. 



The Great White Egret and the Yellow Rail in Ottawa. Canada. — In 

 the ornithological collection of the Geological and Natural History 

 Survey of Canada are two mounted specimens which, from the localities 

 of their capture, deserve special notice. The first of these is a fine spring 

 male of Herodias egretla, which was shot in the spring of 1SS3 at Rock- 

 liffe, Ont. , by Mr. Sidney H. Mclntyre, and presented by him to the 

 Survey. In answer to a letter of inquiry Mr. W. H. Mclntyre writes : 

 "Two of these birds are all that were ever seen here. They seemed to be 

 a pair, and after this one was shot the other stayed around for a day or 

 two and then left, and we have seen no more like them. I cannot give 

 date of the shooting; it was shot, however, by my son Sidney II. 

 Mclntyre within about one half mile of our house at Rockliffe." Rockliffe 

 is on the Ottawa River, about lat. 77 50' north, long. 46-08' west, making, 

 as far as I am aware, the most northerly record of the Egret. 



The other specimen is a spring bird of Porzana noveboracensis shot on 

 Loronto marshes in June, 1S74, by Mr. Herring, the taxidermist of the 

 Survey. Mr. Herring tells me that although this is the only specimen he 

 has ever actually shot, he is quite certain that he has on several other 

 occasions 'put up* specimens of this Rail in the same locality. — W. L. 

 Scott, Ottawa, Canada. 



The CEdicnemus dominicensis in Confinement. — In September, 1SS3, 

 the Society received two Thick-knees, which were evidently young birds. 

 with their plumage in bad condition. Being informed that they came 

 from South America, they were provisionally called bistriatus. It was 

 the latter part of last September (1SS4) before they were properly iden- 

 tified as CEd/ciieiin.s dominicensis Cory (Auk. 1S84, p. 4). They have 

 become exceedingly tame; are in full plumage, and during the summer 

 nights make the whole garden ring with their peculiar shrill notes. — 

 Frank J. Thompson. Zoological Garden. Cincinnati, O. 



The Western Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Coast of Virginia. — As 

 there are but few recorded captures up to this time of Ereunetes. pusillus 

 occidentalis in the Eastern Province, it is perhaps worth while to mention 

 its occurrence at Virginia Beach, where Mr. Henry Seebohm and the 

 writer met with it on Sept. 6 and 7, 1SS4. It was in company with 

 E. fusillus and several other species of the smaller Waders, all of which 

 appeared to be abundant. Several of the birds lE. occidentalis) were 

 shot but only one was preserved, which was seen and identified by 

 Mr. Ridgway. E. fusillus was also taken, so there was no chance 

 of confounding the two forms. Virginia Beach. Va.. is on the Atlantic- 

 coast, twentv miles east of Norfolk. — C. W. Beckham. Washington. D.C. 



