1 82 General Notes. [^ 



Black Gyrfalcon {Falco rusticolus obsoletus) in Maine. — A fine female 

 Black Gryfalcon was shot in this city on Dec. 21, 1898. The bird was 

 seen in pursuit of a domestic pigeon by Adrian De Costa, who went to 

 his house for his gun and shot the specimen, which showed no fear, and 

 appeared to entirely disregard his presence. Mr. De Costa sold the bird 

 to S. L. Crosby, the taxidermist, from whom I obtained it for my collec- 

 tion. — Harry Merrill, Bangor, Maine. 



The Specific Name of Falco regulus. — As the Merlin is included in 

 the list of North American birds, although only by reason of accidental 

 occurrence in Greenland, it seems advisable again to call attention to the 

 fact that regu/us is not its earliest specific title. Indeed regulus is ante- 

 dated by two other names, — Falco cesalon Tunstall (Orn. Brit., 1 77 1 , p. 1) 

 and Accipiter nierillits Gerini (Orn. Meth. Dig., 1767, I, 51, pll. xviii, 

 xix), by the latter of which it apparently must be supplanted. This has 

 already been pointed out by Mr. Seebohm (Hist. Brit. Birds, I, 34) ; as 

 well as more recently by Dr. Prazak (Journ. f. Ornith., 189S, 157), who 

 treats the subject in some detail ; and although it has not been possible 

 in the present connection to verify the reference to Gerini, it seems 

 almost certain that his name will have to be accepted, and the species 

 stand as Falco merill/is. — Harry C. Oberholser, Washington, D. C. 



Habits of the Blue Jay {Cyanocitta cristata). — Under this title, Mr. 

 Fred H. Kennard recorded an interesting note in 'The Auk' for July, 

 1S98, page 269. It must be generally acknowledged that the nesting 

 site described is very unusual, but strange enough, my attention was 

 called last June to a nest of this Jay, built under a piazza roof of an 

 occupied dwelling, placed on the capitol of a pillar, and among the stems 

 of a Wisteria vine, almost exactly as described by Mr. Kennard. I am 

 indebted to my young friend, Flint Drew, who lived at the house in 

 Highland Park, 111., for giving me the opportunity of examining the nest, 

 which at that time contained young. 



As the general habits of the Massachusetts and Illinois Jays differ very 

 materially, and as our bird is more domestic, and lives near the haunts 

 of man, it would not be so unusual to find their nests in such locations, 

 although this is the first instance which now comes to my notice. — 

 RUTHVEN DEANE, Chicago, III. 



An Unusual Sst of Song Sparrow's Eggs. — On June 2S, 1898, I found 

 a nest of Melospiza fasciata at Beverly Farms, Mass., containing eight 

 eggs. They seemed to belong in two sets of four, distinguishable by a 

 slight difference in color and markings. Incubation had begun in some 

 eggs of each kind. — Geo. C. Shattuck, Boston. Mass. 



The Names of the Song Sparrows. — The change of a well established 

 scientific name is always to be deplored, and particularly when, as in the 





