320 General Notes. [^', k 



borne out this year. On August 23 and September iS, 1904, and on Mav 

 14, 1905, this bird was present in large flocks at the lake west of Lincoln. 

 The same observation applies to the Bed-backed Sandpiper and the Buff- 

 breasted Sandpiper, the former having been noted very commonly on 

 May 22, August 23, September 4 and 11, 1904, and on May 14, 1905, while 

 the latter was present in great numbers on September 11 and 18, 1904, 

 being the most evident sandpiper on the lake. 



Falco sparverius phalaena. Western Sparrow Hawk. — I have re- 

 cently examined two male Sparrow Hawks, one taken at Florence and 

 one at Lincoln, in the collections of Messrs. Wallace and Eiche respec- 

 tively, and both are as clearly phalcena as is our specimen from Sioux 

 county. Very like'y it is not rare as a migrant over' the entire State. 



Tyrannus verticalis. Arkansas Kingbird. — This flycatcher, while 

 abundant enough in the western part of the State, has, until the last two 

 years, always been considered a rarity in eastern Nebraska where it occurs 

 as a migrant. In fact, single records of its occurrence at Omaha, Lincoln, 

 and West Point practically constituted the list of eastern records until last 

 year when four additional records were established. During the past 

 month of May, 1905, it has been reported frequently, and in some. locali- 

 ties as common, one Omaha observer having seen twelve in one day. Per- 

 sonally I have seen it at Dunbar on May 6, at Lincoln on May 14, and at 

 South Bend on May 17. There would seem to be considerable founda- 

 tion for a belief that the species is extending its line of migration east- 

 ward. 



Ammodramus henslowii occidentalis. Western Henslow's Spar- 

 row. — A third record for this bird is one taken at Dunbar, April 30, 

 1904, by Mr. E. H. Jones of that place. 



Vireo philadelphicus. Philadelphia Vireo. — A pair of this vireo 

 was observed under the binoculars for nearly an hour by the writer and 

 others at Dunbar on May 16, 1905. — Myron H. Swenk, Dcpt. Entomol- 

 ogy and Ornithology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb. 



Do Migrants Fast? — -There has been an impression among some who 

 have examined the stomachs of birds or who have speculated upon the 

 various problems in connection with migration that many migrants 

 make an effort to rid themselves of all food contents before beginning 

 the flight. From the evidence of the examined stomachs alone, this opim 

 ion is the natural one, since they have been found in nearly every case to 

 be perfectly empty, only rarely containing an amount of food equal to 

 one per cent of the stomach capacity. Of more than one hundred stom- 

 achs of migrants examined by the writer, not more than five had a trace 

 of food in them. 



Recently opportunity was afforded to examine the entire viscera of 

 many birds (mostly warblers) killed by striking the Washington Monu- 

 ment on the night of May 6-7, 1905. For the preservation of this mate- 

 rial I am indebted to Prof. W. W. Cooke. With one exception the 



