408 General Notes. [^" t k 



The Yellow-billed Tropic Bird near Phoenix, Arizona. — In April, 1905, 

 a specimen of the Yellow-billed Tropic Bird (Phaet/ion americanus) was 

 tr-ken alive near Phoenix, Arizona. The bird had dropped in a field from 

 utter exhaustion. The bird, or birds, for there might have been more of 

 them, probably came up by way of the Gulf of California, thence follow- 

 ing the Gila River, became bewildered and lost. — Geo. F. Breninger, 

 Phoenix, Arizona. 



Fregata aquila at San Pablo Bay, California. — A specimen of this 

 southern species was shot, June 20, 1905, by P. J. Walsh at Black Point, 

 Marin Co., at the mouth of Petaluma Creek, a tributary of San Pablo Bay. 

 The bird, an immature male, was taken to a local taxidermist where I had 

 the pleasure of examining it. — Edward Winslow Gifford, California 

 Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Cal. 



Brant's Nest. — Last April I bought a set of four Brant's (Branta 

 bemicla leucogastra) eggs with the nest of Mr. J. S. Warm bath of 

 Washington, D. C As this is one of the first nests of this bird found, 

 it may be of interest to record it. 



Mr. Warmbath accompanied Lieut. Peary's supply ship to Cape Sabine, 

 Ellesmere Land, leaving July, 1S99, and returning in October, 1901. 



The nest was found, June 17, 1900, on a ledge of rock, 20 feet from the 

 ground among Eider Ducks' and Glaucous Gulls' nests. Both birds were 

 shot. 



Mr. Warmbath says: "The Brant's eggs were not incubated, but quite 

 fresh, as I had the pleasure of eating the contents when blown. It was 

 the first taste of any kind of eggs I had had for about twelve months. " 



The female was shot on a slight elevation above the nest and the male 

 in the water near it. On the same island Eider Ducks and Glaucous Gulls 

 were nesting. 



All the islands and the mainland of Buchanan Bay were visited that 

 season, but no other Brant's nest was found. The next year Mr. Warm- 

 bath shot several specimens, but found no more eggs. 



He has one egg which he secured in Greenland in 1901 and knows of 

 two more secured by Eskimos the same season in Greenland which were 

 turned over to Lieut. Peary. 



The eggs are dull creamy white and smaller than the eggs of the Black 

 Brant {Branta nigricans). The measurements are as follows : 2.40 inches 

 X 1.60, 2.30 X 1.75, 2.30 X 165, 2.40 X 1.70 inches. — John E. Thayer, 

 Lancaster, Mass. 



A Brood of Albino Spoonbill Ducks (Spatula clypeaia). — I am much 

 indebted to Mr. Alex. Calder, taxidermist, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, for a 

 most striking photograph of three mounted Spoonbill Ducks, as white as 

 the driven snow. The most interesting feature is that they all belonged 

 to the same brood. Mr. Calder writes under date of June 16, 1905 : "They 



