i8S6.] General Notes. 48 1 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Occurrence of the Yellow-billed Tropic Bird in Florida. — Although 

 this species is common enough in the West Indies, it does not seem to 

 have been observed many times on the mainland of North America, even 

 along the coast of Florida. On this account a specimen, shot April 21, 

 1886, on Bananna River, at the southern end of Merritt's Island, Florida, 

 may be worth recording. I had the bird of Mr. C.J. Maynard, for whom 

 it was collected by a Mr. Peterson. It is a female, in immature and rather 

 ragged plumage. Mr. Maynard tells me that it was captured just after a 

 series of southeast gales. — William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass. 



The Breeding of Branta canadensis at Reelfoot Lake, Tenn. — On the 

 7th of June, 1SS6, I took a trip to Reeltbot Lake, situated in the extreme 

 northeastern part of Tennessee and distant about twelve or fourteen miles 

 from Hickman, Ky. My first intimation of the breeding of the Canada 

 Goose at that place was while I was waiting for dinner at Mr. Carpenter's, 

 who keeps a hotel for the benefit of persons visiting the lake, and also of 

 himself. While watching some small birds in a tree near the house, I 

 was attracted by the appearance of a flock' of six Geese wandering about in 

 the yard, and after looking at them a moment, I said to Mr. Carpenter 

 "Are not those Wild Geese.'"' "Yes." he said, ''I found six eggs on a 

 stump in the lake and brought them home, set them under a tame Goose, 

 and every one hatched." "Why," I said, "I did not know they would 

 breed so far south." "O. yes," he answered, "they breed here every sum- 

 mer." These Geese were tamer than the common domestic Geese, eating 

 out of his hand, etc. They made no effort to get away, though, had their 

 wings not been clipped, they would probably have flown to the lake very 

 soon. 



Then after dinner when I was paddling a little plank canoe, a full 

 grown Goose came flj'ing along a little to one side of the canoe. I did not 

 mistake it for any other bird. It was too close for that. I do not think it 

 was hurt or sickly, it flew too SAviftl}' and well for that. 



Wishing to have still more proof on the subject, I asked a bov who 

 often goes to the lake to fish and hunt, if he knew that the Wild Geese 

 stayed there all summer. He answered, "Yes, I do. I've seen the 

 young Geese round in the water many a time." 



I til ink these facts go far to prove that the Wild Goose breeds at Reel- 

 foot Lake. — L. O. Pindar, Hickman, Ky. 



Breeding of the White-faced Glossy Ibis in Florida. — I have lately ob- 

 tained from Mr. C. J. Maynard a set of three eggs of the White-faced 

 Glossy Ibis (^Plegadis guarauna), taken April 18, 1886, at or near Lake 

 Washington (the head of the St. Johns River), Florida. The nest was 

 "in bushes, a few feet from the ground." The identity of the eggs is open 



