I go General Notes. [apHI 



Early Occurrence of the Black Scoter in Maryland and Virginia. — On 



Aucr. 26, 1900, I came across a male and four females of the Black Scoter 

 just inside the surf at Gargathy Inlet, Accomac County, Virginia. They 

 were quite tame and allowed of close approach. On being flushed they 

 flew outside the breakers and pitched. On Aug. 29 I reached Ocean City, 

 Maryland, and saw 20 in a bunch just outside the surf. Capt. Christopher 

 Ludlam, a most careful observer, told me that he had first observed them 

 at this point on Aug. 27, when a bunch of about 100 were just outside the 

 surf. On Aug. 30 I saw a bunch of about 20, and possibly the same bunch 

 of about 20 on the 31st. These were carefully observed through a strong 

 field glass, so the identity is assured. — F. O. Kirkwood, Baltimore, Md. 



The Purple Gallinule in Massachusetts in the Breeding Season. — In 

 August, 1S99, 1 saw at the farm of Mr. A. J. Severance in Rowley, Mass., a 

 mounted specimen of the Purple Gallinule {^lonornis martinica). The bird 

 was caught in June, 1897, by a cat at a pond in the adjoining town of Box- 

 ford. Another bird, supposed to be of the same species and the mate, was 

 seen at the pond. This appears to be the second record of the occurrence 

 of lonornis martinica in Essex county, the specimen previously noted 

 being preserved in the collection of the Peabody Academy of Science at 

 Salem. 



Another hitherto unpublished record of Io?ior?iis marfiitica in Massa- 

 chusetts is that of a beautiful specimen which I saw in the flesh in April, 

 1890, at the stall of W. W. Palmer. Faneuil Hall Market, Boston. The 

 bird had been caught in a muskrat trap at Chatham. — J. A. Farley, Mal- 

 den, Mass. 



Occurrence of Baird's Sandpiper in Sussex, England. — An immature 

 female of Heteropygia bairdi (Coues) was shot by Mr. Michael J. Nicoll, 

 on the shingle to the west of Rye Harbor, on the i ilh of Xcvember, 1900. 

 The bird was seen in the flesh by the present writer on the l.'v following, 

 and upon examination it soon became obvious that it was a stranger. 

 Upon being submitted to Mr. Ernst Hartet, the accomplished ornithologist 

 of Tring Museum, it was pronounced to belong to the above species. 

 Baird's Sandpiper is not known to have previously occurred in the Brit- 

 ish Islands. The specimen was exhibited by Mr. Hartet at a meeting of 

 the British Ornithologists' Club, on 21st Nov., 1900. (Bull. B. O. C, 

 Vol. XI„ p. 27). 



It may be added that Mr. Nicoll's curiosity was aroused by the strange 

 cry and flight of the bird. He states that when approached it flew some 

 distance, and then, after rising, it suddenly dropped to the ground. — W. 

 RusKiN BUTTERFIELD, 4, Staiikope Place, St. Leonard's-on-Sea, England. 



Ruffed Grouse in Snow. — From records in the snow I have come to 

 the possibly trite conclusion that the Ruffed Grouse {Bonasa umbellus). 



