^°l-.i^'^1 General Notes. 1 95 



igo2 J 



beside each other for study. A key to all abbreviations used is 

 very essential, not only for the observer himself, but especially for 

 those who may in future years have access to his records. A con- 

 venient place to put this key is on the inside of the front cover. 

 After enough sheets are completed an index should be made and 

 all laced into one volume. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Occurrence of the Arctic Tern {Sterna paradiscBa) in the Hawaiian 

 Islands. — A weary and wayworn individual of this species was discov- 

 ered on the beach at Hilo, Island of Hawaii, May 9, 1891. The bird 

 boarded a schooner when four days oft port, being evidently much 

 exhausted, but disappeared three days afterwards, having evidently 

 sighted land. It was next seen on the beach by some boys, but was hardly 

 able to fly, and was captured by hand after a short chase. It came into the 

 possession of Mr. R. T. Guarde, but died the next day from hunger and 

 exhaustion. Mr. Guarde had the bird mounted, and very generously 

 presented it to the writer. The bird was assuming the full nuptial dress, 

 and presumably was on its way to Alaskan breeding grounds when it was 

 lost or blown to sea. After a brave struggle with fate it reached distant 

 Hawaii only to fall a victim to the consequences of its protracted flight. 



So far as the writer is aware this is the first American tern to be 

 reported from the Hawaiian Islands, though American gulls are not of 

 very rare occurrence. — H. W. Henshaw, Hilo, Haivaii. 



Note on the Name of Audubon's Shearwater. — Lesson in the 'Revue 

 Zoologique' for April, 1S39, p. 102, describes a shearwater as follows: 

 '■'■ Pujflnus [sic] Lherminieri, Less. — Corpore supra nigro, infra albo, 

 rostro et pedibus nigro. — Long. ; 12 poll. — Hab. ad ripas Antillannn." 

 Finsch, in tiie P. Z. S. 1872, p. in, renames this species Puffinus audiiboiii, 

 being led astray by believing Bonaparte's citation of Lesson's name re- 

 ferred to the 'Traite,' in which work it is not to be found. In view of the 

 above facts this species should stand in the Check-List as Puffinus 

 Iherminieri Lesson — J. H. Riley, U. S. National Museutn, Washington, 

 D. C. 



European Widgeon {Mareca penelope) on Long Island, N. Y. — It gives 

 me great pleasure to record the capture of an unusually fine adult male 

 English Widgeon at Bostwicks Pond, Gardiners Island, Suffolk County, 



