Vol. XVIII 

 I go I 



1 Bishop, Winter Birds of Pea Island, N. C. 26^ 



black of the neck, and particularly at the junction with the pale breast, 

 which are significant of immaturity. Mr. J. B. Etheridge, the manager of 

 the Pea Island Club assures me that these geese keep in families 

 throughout the winter, and that if both old birds are shot the joung will 

 return to the decoys, but if one old bird escapes it will guide the young to 

 safety. 



14. Branta bernicla. Brant. — The most abundant sea-fowl but stay- 

 ing well oftshore in laige rafts, probably because the water was so low from 

 lack of rain that they were able to reach the bottom a long distance from 

 land. It may not be known to all that Canada Geese and Brant, though 

 feeding on a plant growing on the bottom, do not dive, taking their food 

 only in water so shallow that they can reach the bottom with their long 

 necks by tilting their white afterparts in the air. The effect of a flock 

 changing thus from black to white is very peculiar. As the tide rises 

 they swim toward the shore, keeping always in water where they can reach 

 the bottom. 



Sailing to Roanoke Island on February 18, we saw thousands of Brant, 

 and noticed three dead ones, caught by their necks in the shad-nets which 

 are set in the shallow water of this part of Pamlico Sound as thickly as 

 nets in a tennis field. The wind freshening as we sailed we were obliged 

 to cut four of these nets to avoid capsizing. 



Young Brant may be distinguished from adults as late as the middle of 

 April by the white tips to the wing-coverts which persist long after the 

 brownish head and throat have become glossy black, and the white feath- 

 ers on the sides of the neck have appeared. 



15. Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. — A female was 

 taken on February 11. 



16. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. — I saw one on the Sth, and 

 one on Bodie Island on the 16th. 



17. Rallus crepitans. Clapper Rail. — A male was taken on the 13th 

 and another on the i6th. From what comparisons 1 have been able to 

 make I think these birds intermediate between crefitans and zvaynei, but 

 somewhat nearer the former. 



18. Rallus crepitans waynei. Wayne's Clapper Rail. — A female 

 taken on Feb. 9 and a male on the i ith. Mr. Brewster has kindly examined 

 them and pronounces them typical of this form. The female is much the 

 smaller bird, and was moulting in the contour feathers. 



The iris of the male was raw sienna ; culmen slate-black, tip of man- 

 dible slate, base of tomial maxilla ochraceous, rest of bill clay color; 

 tibize, tarsi and toes dark broccoli brown, tibi?e washed in front with buff- 

 yellow ; nails clay color. 



In habits these birds are like crepitans, keeping closely to the thick 

 marsh grass, and are with great difficulty flushed even by a dog. 



19. Rallus virginianus. Virginia Rail. — A female was taken on 

 Feb. 9. It was moulting and had the ovary on the right side. 



