132 General Notes. [January 



gradually increasing to a fair breeze. Yet not at anj time was there 

 more than a fair summer breeze, though the gradual increase of the old 

 swell running from the east told us of a storm not far ahead. We' did 

 not catch the storm, but learned, on reaching port, that steamers a few 

 hours in advance had found rough weather. Both days were more or less 

 foggy, the steam horn blowing on and off about half the time. 



The fastest run up to 12 m. on May 8 was 5S2 miles. 1 regret that I am 

 now unable to give exact position, but as we took a slightly more south- 

 erly course than is usual with the French line, it can easily be approxi- 

 mated. 



On May 8, at 2 p. m., while watching some Petrels, I noticed a flock of 

 Peeps on the port side, flying towards tlie steamer from the northwest. 

 Wlien witlvn about 80 yards of us thej' turned to the east till they could 

 pass our bows, then turned sharply, passing within a few yards, or even 

 feet of us, and then off" to the S. E. by E. I at once went to the upper 

 deck to watch for more, and was surprised to find that, in every direc- 

 tion, as far as I could see in the then light fog, were large flocks of Peeps 

 all flying in the same direction, S. E' by E. The birds were flying in 

 large scattered flocks of from fifty to apparently several hundred birds. 

 The flight lasted for nearly three hours, during which a very large num- 

 ber of birds must have passed us. 



Why were they flying S. E. by E. .? They should at that season have 

 been bound for their northern breeding grounds and not for Africa. 



There was not any evidence tending to show that the birds were lost, 

 as all flew exactly the same way. Every flock that found our vessel in 

 their line of flight, and of which there were not less than fifty, turned to 

 the east till they could make by our bow, not one flock, or even a single 

 bird, did I see turn to the westward to cross astearn of us. 



They were flying strong, easily passing our steamer, tiien making 12^ 

 knots. Not one tried to alight, nor did any fall into the water, nor were 

 any seen floating, though I watched carefully. 



Whether the Peeps were Tringa minutilla or Eretine/es pusillics I can 

 not say, but surely they were out of place and fast getting more so. — W. 

 A. Jeffries, Boston^ Mass. 



On the Proper Name for the Prairie Hen. — Probably all ornithologists 

 who have had the opportunity of investigating the matter, or who have 

 carefully read Mr. Brewster's important article on 'The Heath Hen of 

 Massachusetts' in 'The Auk' for January, 1885 (pp. 80-84), fully agree 

 with Mr. Brewster in regard to the necessity of recognizing two species 

 of the genus Tympa7iuchus (formerly Cufidonia), and indorse his re- 

 striction of the specific name cufido to the eastern bird. No other view 

 of the case, in fact, seems admissible. In giving a new name to the 

 western bird, however, Mr. Brewster has unfortunately overlooked a sup- 

 posed synonym of T. cupido, which applies exclusively to the western 

 species, as I have very recently discovered in compiling and verifying 

 references pertaining to the two birds. The supposed synonym in ques- 



