General Notes. 



413 



plenty of them about, and some very tall ones, I saw none of them ascend 

 to a greater height than ten feet. Neither did I see any of them alight on 

 the gi'ound. The time was shortly after sunrise. A subsequent visit to 

 the same locality at mid-day was unsuccessful. — Walter Hoxie, Frog- 

 niore P. O., St. Helena Id., S. C. 



Connecticut Warbler — A Correction. — In the 'Bulletin of the Nuttall 

 Ornithological Club' for July, 1S82 (Vol. VII, p. 190), I recorded the cap- 

 ture of a Connecticut Warbler at Ebeme Lake, Maine, in August, 1879, 

 which made the second record for the species in the State. 



To make certain of its identity I sent the skin to Dr. T. M. Brewei-, 

 who wrote me (Oct. 26, 1S79) ^^^^^ ^s well as he could make out the speci- 

 men was the Connecticut Warbler, but that he would get some one more 

 mi fait in plumage than he was to confirm or reverse his opinion. 



Following this he returned the skin and wrote (Oct. 30) ; "I have 

 shown the inclosed to Mr. Allen and have his confirmation of my own 

 impressions. The agilis is rather an interesting specimen." 



Lately the question of its correct identity was again raised, and to make 

 ussurance doubly sure I sent the skin to Mr. William Brewster foi- ex- 

 amination, giving its history. Mr. Brewster wrote tne (March 28, 1886) : 

 'The case is of such importance, I have compared it carefully with large 

 series of both Oporornis agilis and G. fhiladelphia. There can not be 

 the slightest doubt as to its identity. It is a perfectly typical Geotlilypis 

 Philadelphia in autumnal plumage." From Mr. Brewster's careful exam- 

 ination he is undoubtedly correct, and I would correct the record already 

 made. — Harry Merrill, Bangor. Me. 



'Aptoso-Chromatism.' — In the 'Ornithologist and Oologist' for April, 

 18S6 (Vol. XI, p. 49), Mr. Walter Hoxie has an article under the title 

 'Aptoso-Chromatism' — a term intended to designate the " ' moultless 

 color .change' in the feathers of bn-ds." Mr. Hoxie suggests that aptoso- 

 chromatism is induced by the activity of the sexual organs, and claims 

 its occurrence in both sexes, and cites in proof the changes in color noted 

 in the Cardinal at the beginning of the breeding season. He finds that 

 •'the Black-bellied Plover, Red-bi^easted Snipe, Sanderling and Turnstone 

 show a tolerably even ratio between perfect plumage and the development 

 of the sexual organs, independent of the stage of moult." The argument 

 is not very clearlv staled, and the illustrations given relate in part to birds 

 which undergo a change of color through a spring moult as well as inde- 

 pendently of it. It is well known that many birds, particularly rnales, un- 

 dei'go a color change, more or less extensi\'e and well-marked, as the 

 mating season approaches, either in consequence of a partial moult, or 

 without an actual renewal of the plumage. This coincidence of the 

 cha.nge of color with the period of activity of the sexual organs seems to 

 be looked upon by Mr. Hoxie as a relation of cause and effect, the former 

 being due to the latter. While this may be true, certain facts may be 

 recalled which tend to show that both are simph' an expression or in- 



