I 20 General Notes. [January- 



seeds among the bent grass near the shore. Mr. Chamberlain informs me 

 that its only known breeding place is Sable Island, which is but So miles 

 out at sea from our coast; it may therefore breed on some part of our 

 eastern seaboard between Cape Sable and Cape Breton. Not being aware 

 of the rarity of the species, I did not search for more at the time, but I am 

 almost positive that I have seen other specimens since. However, I hope 

 next spring to be able to prove that it is not so rare a bird, at least in 

 this Province, as it is supposed to be. — T. INIatthew Jones. Hali- 

 fax., N. S. 



The Lark Finch in New Jersey. — On November 26, 1885, while collect- 

 ing at Schraalinburgii, N. J., within about six miles of the New York 

 State line, I captured a female Lark Finch (^Chondcsfes gramviacus). It 

 was in excellent condition, the moult just completed. The appearance 

 of this bird, so far fi-om its natural habitat, was without doubt caused by 

 the severe storm of November 21-24, which, arising in Western Kansas and 

 traveling at an average speed of forty miles an hour, in at first a south 

 easterly, and then northeasterly direction, became, November 24, cen- 

 tral on the New Jersey coast near Atlantic City.— Frank M. Chapman, 

 Eiighnvood, N. J. 



The Winter Distribution of the Swamp Sparrow and the Yellow-rump. 



— On pages 3S0 ancf 3S1 of the last volume of "The Auk,' Mr. Arthur P. 

 Chadboia-ne has something further to say with respect to the wintering of 

 .Swamp Sparrows in Massachusetts and of Yellow-rumps in Maine, during 

 the season of 1SS4-S5. Mr. Chadbourne intimates that he is willing to 

 have the question made one of evidence, and repeats with some changes 

 of phraseology the information he has previously (Auk, Vol. II, p. 216) 

 brought forward on the subject of the Sparrows, without, however, the 

 addition of any new facts. This information is in brief as follows: Four 

 Swamp Sparrows were seen by a collector in Cambridge on December 

 29, 1SS4, and one of them was shot and preserved; the remains of another 

 — perhaps one of the original four — were found, not far from the same 

 spot, on January 31, 1885. Upon such ground is based tlie conclusion 

 that Swamp Sparrows tarried in the vicinity throughout the winter, — a 

 conclusion which is plainly not justified in the light of the facts, that the 

 season was exceptionally severe after the middle of January and excep- 

 tionally mild before that date, and that this species has never been shown 

 to remain in Massachusetts throughout any winter season. The claim 

 that in Massachusetts January is a test month for irregular winter residents 

 cannot be made in behalf of the Swamp Sparrow, for the vcr\ reason that 

 the bird has as yet no right to a place in that class. To assert that it 

 never will have such a right, is far from my intention. Not much evi- 

 dence is needed to prove t)u\t it can brave the rigors of an entire winter 

 season in Massachusetts; but until the missing links in the chain are pro- 

 duced, no good strict constructionist will admit, I think, that the Swamp 

 Sparrow has been found 'wintering' in that State. Mr. Chadbourne's cita- 



