212 General Notes. \_\^. 



water course, coining through an adjoining iield into the river, the sides 

 of which are covered bj bushes, vines and several trees, up came from the 

 ground, where tliey had been feeding among the bushes and weeds, a 

 flock of about eight Redpolls {Acatitfiis litiaria). They perched on a 

 little sapling, closely together, about twenty feet from me and I eyed them 

 intently through a glass, but after a few moments they flew up into a tree, 

 about fifty feet high, and thence, after a few moments, away and did not 

 alight again as far as I could see. I saw their crimson caps plainly, 

 they fairly glowed in the bright light of this clear, frosty day. 



On February 5, last, I saw at the same locality a flock of about eight 

 American Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra mitior). They were not feeding 

 just then and were shy. They allowed me to take one good and longing 

 look at them and immediately departed for regions unknown. This was 

 the first week of the long, cold spell we had this winter, lasting through 

 the whole of February. 



Some more northern visitors Avere here this winter, which I had never 

 before seen. On November 16, last, while walking over a common or old 

 meadow at the base of Wills Mountain, I flushed a fine Snowflake {Plectro- 

 fhenax nivalis). It was not at all shy and allowed of close approach. It 

 was not cold that day, about 32-^, and there had been no storms or snow 

 before. It must have become separated from its companions by mistake, 

 for I could see no more that day. On February 8, however, at the same 

 place, right near houses, I saw three more Snowflakes, their feathers 

 more soiled than those of the one seen in November. At this time also it 

 was very cold with much snow on the ground and at times stormy. 



It may also be worthy of mention, that during this cold spell, at which 

 the proverbial 'oldest' resident was surprised, there were hundreds of 

 Prairie Horned Larks {Otocoris alpestris praticola) about the city, even, 

 on account of the snow covering all fields and hills, coming into the streets 

 of the city and sharing with the English Sparrows their usual delicacies 

 of this and other seasons. They usually are here somewhat later and are 

 then found first on the bare spots on the hillsides, where the snow has 

 melted. — G. Eifrig, Cumberland, Md. 



February Water Birds of Elsinore Lake, California. — Colymbus hol- 

 bcelli. Holbcell's Grebe. — We had hardly expected to find this grebe 

 on Lake Elsinore, but were pleasantly surprised by finding a dead speci- 

 men on the shore. It was much decomposed but was plainly an imma- 

 ture bird just getting the adult plumage. 



Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. — It seems rather strange 

 that we should not have seen either of the typical Californian Grebes, 

 although of course they might have been there without our knowledge. 

 The pied-billed variety was common all over the lake, keeping well out 

 from shore, however, as they were much shot at. 



Larus occidentalis. Western Gull. — These gulls, as well as all 

 others, were verj' rare on the lake : the result of much persecution. We 

 saw but two or three during: our stav. 



