Io6 General Notes. [^^ 



October 8, 1900, Mr. Thomas E. Slevin found in one of the San Fran- 

 cisco markets another immature Emperor Goose, which he obtained for 

 the Academy. This bird probably came also from the San Joaquin- 

 Sacramento Valley — the chief source from which the supply of geese is 

 drawn for the San Francisco markets. 



The only other record for California appears to be the one by Mr. Town- 

 send (Auk, Vol. Ill, p. 491) reporting a specimen taken by Mr. Charles 

 Fiebig at Humboldt Bay. — Leverett M. Loomis, California Academy 

 of Sciences, San Francisco. 



Nesting of Cory's Bittern at Toronto, Ontario. — Although Cory's Bit- 

 tern was at first believed to be only a straggler at Toronto, the taking of 

 young birds, together with the continued presence of this bittern, led 

 many to believe that the eggs would eventually be found in Toronto 

 marsh; but it was not till 1898 that a nest was discovered. On June 15 

 of that year, Mr. George Pierce, while collecting in Ashbridge's marsh, 

 Toronto, took a female of Ardetta neoxena from her nest. The nest was 

 described as simply a mass of last year's reeds, and contained one egg. 

 Soon after the bird was taken Mr. J. H. Ames saw it and noticed that the 

 abdomen was much swollen ; next day I examined the bird, it having in 

 the meantime been partially skinned, and the body cut open, exposing a 

 fully developed egg, unfortunately broken. I compared the broken egg 

 with the one found in the nest, and they agreed perfectly in color ; other 

 eggs in the ovary showed signs of development. The color of the eggs was 

 much darker than the average of Toronto taken sets of A. exilis, though I 

 have since seen a set as dark. The body, with the broken c^^ imdis- 

 turbed, was preserved in alcohol, and, together with the other egg, is now 

 in the possession of Mr. Ames ; the skin is in my collection. 



Mr. Ames and mjself have thought it better to separately record the 

 facts as we found them ; the correct identity of the eggs of Cory's Bit- 

 tern being of sufficient importance to warrant great care being used. — 

 JAMES H. Fleming, Toronto, Ontario. 



Nesting of Cory's Bittern {Ardetta neoxena)aTid Other Notes. — On the 

 evening of June 15, 1S9S, I was in Mr. Geo. Pierce's store when he returned 

 from acoUectingtrip on Ashbridge's Bay; he brought in with him a female 

 Cory's Bittern and egg. I at once took the opportunity of examining it 

 and found that the al^domen was ven' much swollen, which suggested 

 that it contained more eggs, and which afterwards proved to be correct. 

 I had no opportunity of comparing the eggs with those cf A. exilis. 

 The egg measured 1.30 x i.oo. 



On Deceinber 2, 189S, a female immature Iceland Gull {Lartis leucop - 

 terus) was taken in Toronto. It was afterward sent to me by a friend an d 

 is now in my collection. 



On May 11, 1900, while on a collecting expedition, I took a male Prairie 

 Warbler (Dendroica discolor) in full plumage. 



