Vol s XVI l General Notes. l8l 



i ogg J 



beyond the rest, and all are similar in shape to those of the Grouse, 

 though showing the Pheasant character in being much narrower at the 

 ends. 



Below the characters of Pkasianus are more pronounced. The chin, 

 throat and upper neck are white, lower neck and breast black, sides buffv. 

 The bare space about the eye is somewhat restricted, but similar to that 

 in the young Pheasant. Tarsus about midway in length between the 

 two genera, feathered for about three quarters of an inch below the tibia 

 with whitish slaty. The spurs are present as small knobs onlv. 



The bird being mounted, measurement was difficult, but it had every 

 appearance of being larger than either of its parents. 



Since writing the above I have learned of three other specimens, all 

 similar to the one above described. Though I do not know the locality 

 from which two of them came, the third, which was shot at Salem, could 

 not have been from the same brood. All of these four specimens were 

 shot within the last two months (October and November, 1S9S), and the 

 report that such crosses are not uncommon would seem to have some 

 foundation. The imported Pheasant often crosses with domestic fowls. 

 — A. W. Anthony, /'»;'/ l /««rf, Oregon. 



The Number of Rectrices in Grouse. — In my recent paper on the Fealher- 

 tracts of North American Grouse and Quail (Proc. IT. S. Nat. Mus., XXI, 

 pp. 641-653), under the genus Lagofats, I made the statement that the 

 rectrices are always iS. Mr. Manly Hardy of Brewer, Maine, has very 

 kindly written me that his experience proves the statement to be an error. 

 He says that in the last 20 years be has shot 15 or 20 Rutted Grouse 

 having 20 rectrices, and. be adds, "I have in every case found those hav- 

 ing 20 rectrices to be exceptionally large males. While I cannot prove it, 

 still it is my belief that none base this added pair until they are several 

 years old. I well remember shooting three old ' drummers' in one after- 

 noon in November, two of which bad 20 tail-feathers One weighed 



31 and the other 32 ounces Old cocks usually weigh from 24 to 26 



ounces." It seems to me that these facts are of great importance in help- 

 ing us to decide whether the Gallinae with 12 rectrices are in that respect 

 nearer the. ancestral form than those with a larger number. At least they 

 indicate that the number of rectrices may be increased, as well as de- 

 creased, and admit the possibility that increase in number of rectrices 

 may be a form of specialization. — Hubert Lyman Clark, Amherst, 

 Mass. 



The Turkey Vulture {Cathartes aura) in Somerville, Mass. — Mr. F. 

 H. Hosmer (who assures me that he knows the bird well) informs me that 

 he saw three Turkey Buzzards, very high up in the air, in Somerville, 

 Mass., on Sept. 25, 1898. They were beaded south. On the 24th strong- 

 southwest winds prevailed in this vicinity, previous to which there had 

 been high winds at the south. — George H. Mackay, Nantucket, Mass. 



