386 



General Notes. [October 



An Albino Surf Duck {CEdemia perspicillata). — Some time since Mr. 

 Alfred J. Leavitt, keeper of the Boon Island (Maine) light-house, sent me 

 drawings of a 'curious Duck' which was shot at that place October 13, 1884, 

 by Mr. H. Z. Ellis. After some correspondence Mr. Ellis has kindly sent 

 me the specimen for examination. It proves to be an Albino Surf Duck 

 (CEdemia perspicillata). Mr. Ellis writes me that it "headed a flock of 

 Coots." and that its eyes were "jet black." The bird is not pure white. 

 The throat, under parts, sides of head and neck, and part of the wing-cov- 

 erts and tail are soiled white. The top of the head, a line down the back 

 of the neck, and the wings are pale bleached brown. The markings are 

 symmetrical. — C. Hart Merriam, Locust Grove, N. T. 



On the Alleged Occurrence of the Pacific Eider in Labrador. — Mr. W. 

 A. Stearns, in a paper entitled 'Notes on the Natural History of Labra- 

 dor,' published in the 'Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum,' Vol. 

 VI, 1SS3, says (p. 121) that the Somateria v-nigra, the Pacific Eider, is 

 "abundant in large flocks in spring," and that he himself "obtained speci- 

 mens that had the decided 'V-shaped black mark' on the chin." The 

 statement has been doubted, and critics have considered it a mild ex- 

 pression when saying that it "seems to require confirmation." It is not 

 my intention to defend Mr. Stearns's identification, but having found a 

 notice which seems to point in the same direction. I think it safer to post- 

 pone a final decision in the matter. The notice to which I allude is 

 found in Degland and Gerbe's 'Ornithologie Europeenne' (Paris, 1S67), 

 II, p. 557, where, under the head of Somateria mollissima, Mr. Gerbe 

 writes : "Three or four specimens received from Newfoundland had under 

 the throat two black lines similar to those of Somateria spectabilis. but 

 of a color less deep. May they not be mules between the latter and the 

 female Eider? 



"Mr. de Selys-Longchamps, in his second note on the hybrids of the 

 Anatidse.* in quoting this example, remarks that Prince Ch. Bonaparte 

 and Mr. W. Jardine consider these specimens as a distinct species, which 

 they name Somateria -'-nigrum, but that there is occasion to wait for 

 new observations before deciding." — Leonhard Stejneger. Smithsonian 

 Institution, Washington. D. C. 



A New Petrel for North America. — On the 2d of September. 1885, there 

 was captured on board the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer 'Albatross' 

 (Capt. Z. L. Tanner, Commander), in lattitude40°34' 18" N., 66° 09' W.. 

 a specimen of the White-faced Stormy Petrel, Pelagodroma marina (Lath.). 

 Mr. James E. Benedict, resident naturalist of the 'Albatross,' writes me tha 

 it was "taken on the ship late in the evening of the 2d proximo," and 

 that "it was in all probability attracted by the light and fell on the deck, 

 from which it seemed unable to rise." He adds that no more of the same 

 species were seen during the cruise, though Petrels of other kinds were 

 numerous around the ship. 



* Bull. Acad. Bruxelles, 1856, XXIII C; Naumannia, 1856, p. 397.— L. S, 



