^'''S^T General Notes. 315 



On May 3, 1908, it was my good fortune to obser-\'e one of these hand- 

 some birds in Forest Hill Cemetery of this city, and after watching it closely 

 for perhaps half an hour Mr. Nonnan Wood of the Museum was called 

 to the scene and verified the identification, also suggesting the possibility 

 of a nest. Although diligent search was made for the latter, several nests 

 apparently of the proper construction being examined, nothing was found 

 which could positively be connected with the heron. Later in the day the 

 bird was shot by a student, Mr. Max Peet of the University, thus prevent- 

 ing any further study of the bird in the field. 



Laboratory examination showed the specimen to be a male, and even 

 in the field it was readily obser\-ed that the plumage was that of an imma- 

 ture bird, as there was no decided black or gray about it. 



Detailed examination of the skin and comparison with Audubon's excel- 

 lent description at once showed the specimen to be a bird of the second 

 year. Audubon is here quoted for the purpose of conveying a better idea 

 of this plumage: — "Young of second year, similar to adults but scapulars 

 and interscapulars cinereous, like the \\-ings and the white of the forehead 

 obscured by the blackish of the crown; the colors generally more sombre 

 •with neck and lower parts more decidedly ashy." In this specimen, 

 besides talljdng with the above, a few black feathers were foimd in the 

 scapulars, showing that the bird was apparently just gaining its mature 

 plumage. The cro\Mi phmies were three in number, pure white and of 

 variable length, the longest being about six inches. — A. D. Tinker, Ann 

 Arbor, Mich. 



The Turkey Buzzard near Schenectady, N. Y. — I have been an inter- 

 ested reader of 'The Auk' for many years, during which time I have by 

 degrees become educated to the fact that the Turkey Buzzard {Cathartes 

 aura) has a penchant for roaming far afield. A few weeks ago I examined 

 a stufTed specimen at the home of the o\Mier, Mr. W. Mephan, who killed it 

 on a Saturday afternoon in June, 1899. The bird was first observed 

 roosting high on the dead branches of the tree from which he was shot. 

 The bird was killed on the Toll fann situated in the town of Glen\alle, 

 about three miles northwest of Schenectady. There is no question as to 

 the authenticity of this record for the reason that I am personally ac- 

 quainted with, the brother of the man who killed the bird, and who was 

 present at the time it was killed. I believe this is the most northerly 

 record for the State. — Langdon Gibson, Schenectady, N. Y. 



Migration of Hawks. — Mr. Robt. Barbour's letter in the January num- 

 ber of 'The Auk' (XXV, pp. 82-84) describing the migration of a large 

 number of hawks has interested me very much. For a numter of years 

 past I have observed the migration of hawks, and have repeatedly seen, 

 I should say, thousands of hawks. On September 22, 1907, the numbers 

 exceeded, I believe, any ever observed before. I was on the top of a 

 mountain near Stag Lake, Sussex County, N. J., about 1200 feet above 



