1915 J General Notes. 97 



repeated its diving many times. It should be noted at this point that a 

 solitary Mallard observed from January 3 to January 13, 1914, and possibly 

 the same bird, was never seen to dive, but fed by immersing its head merely. 

 The action of the mothers encouraging their young to dive, as noted by 

 Millais, if they themselves dive, cannot be explained by any of the stimuli 

 mentioned, and provided the Mallard is a surface-feeding duck, as is 

 generally believed, the cause is entirely obscure. Many more observations 

 throughout the bird's life-history are badly needed.— Edwin D. Hull, 

 Chicago, Illinois. 



Piping Plover at Cape May, N. J.— On September 7, 1913, while 



studying the birds on the beach at Cape May, five Piping Plover (&gialitis 

 meloda) were observed. The birds were first found directly in front of the 

 resort on the beach and at all times staid by themselves in a close compact 

 band. Being exceedingly tame they allowed me to approach very close, 

 and then ran but a very short distance when they settled down to feeding 

 again. Only at rare intervals when hard pressed did they take wing and 

 then as before went but a very short distance. At the moment of observa- 

 tion I did not fully realize what a rare bird the Piping Plover had become 

 on the New Jersey coast. 



Again on September 13, 1914, Mr. J. K. Potter, who was with me on 

 the Cape May beach, found an individual of this species in almost the 

 identical spot that the five of the year before had been observed. 



This bird was alone and after a careful search no others were found. 

 It was also very tame and allowed us to approach very close to it. There 

 were at the time in the immediate vicinity, in fact all about us scattered 

 flocks of Sanderling (Caladris leucophcea) and Semipalmated Plover 

 (JEgialitis semipalmata) but the Piping Plover showed not the slightest 

 tendency to associate with them, in fact kept as far away from them as 

 it possibly could.. — Delos E. Culver, Addingham, Delaware Co., Penna. 



The Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Colorado. A Correction. 



— The writer regrets that he was in error in reporting (Auk, Oct. 1914, 

 p. 535) the individual of this species taken at Byers as being "the 

 second record for this State for this species and the first with full data as to 

 location of occurrence and date of collection.'' He unintentionally over- 

 looked an earlier record made by E. R. Warren, with full data (Condor, XI 

 No. 1, p. 33 and Auk, April, 1910, p. 145), and now makes this correction 

 and presents his apologies to Mr. Warren for this inexcusable oversight. — 

 W. H. Bergtold, Denver, Colo* 



\ 

 The American Bittern Nesting on Long Island, N. Y. — Previously 

 the American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) has been classed as a transient 

 visitant on Long Island, since, heretofore, no definite record of its nesting 

 there has been forthcoming. Though the breeding range of this species 

 includes New York State, and though the area of Long Island has been 



