132 General Notes. [££ 



White Gyrfalcon (Falco islandus) in Montana. — An adult White 

 Gyrfalcon, the sex of which was unfortunately not determined, was taken 

 by G. B. Daniels, November 18, 1917, on Shonkin Creek, just east of the 

 Town of Shonkin, Montana. The elevation of Shonkin is 3163 feet, and 

 its location about forty miles east of Great Falls. 



The specimen was in fine plumage and a very beautiful bird. It was 

 sent to Seattle to a Mr. Oscar Gard, a fur dealer, by a party from whom 

 he purchases furs, for the purpose of having it mounted, and the mounted 

 bird later came into the possession of Mr. J. H. Bowles of Tacoma, who now 

 has it in his collection. 



The foregoing note is of interest in view of the fact, that there are but 

 few records of this species having been taken in the United States. — S. F. 

 Rathbun, 217, 14th Ave., Seattle, Wash. 



The Hawk Owl in North Dakota. — The only published intimation of 

 the occurrence of the Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula caparoch) in North Dakota 

 is a statement that it is found in " Dakota " (Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, 

 History North American Birds, III, 1874, p. 76). There is, however, in 

 the collection of Mr. H. V. Williams a specimen taken by him at Grafton, 

 North Dakota, on December 10, 1908. This forms, therefore, the first 

 definite record of the species for the State. — Harry C. Oberholser, 

 U. S. Biol. Survey, Washington, D. C. 



Pileated Woodpecker in Morris County, N. J. — Noting the record 

 of the Pileated Woodpecker in Sussex County, N. J., in the April ' Auk,' 

 I thought that the following might be of interest. 



In October, 1913 I had a close view of one of these birds at Newfoundland, 

 Morris County, N. J. While I did not have my field glasses with me at the 

 time, I got close enough to the bird to distinguish it plainly as it was ham- 

 mering away on a dead chestnut tree. 



A farmer at whose house I was staying described a bird to me which was 

 evidently this species and told me that he had seen two or three of them 

 that week. 



Although I have spent much time since then in Morris County I have 

 never seen another of these birds. — Edward G. Kent, 2595 Boulevard, 

 Jersey City, N . J. 



Unusual Habits of Chimney Swift. — About one P. M. August 17, 

 1919, while collecting insects near the .eastern border of a broad brackish 

 meadow, my attention was attracted to Chimney Swifts (Chcetura pelagica) 

 frequently flying slowly in from the west and disappearing in the fringe of 

 vines and shrubs that separated me from the extreme east boundary of the 

 marsh. In this heavy growth, from waist to head high, were elderberry 

 bushes (Sambucus canadensis) heavily hung with ripe fruit. I selected a 

 bird for special study. It advanced on descending, hovering flight. About 

 four feet above the tangle, near the farther side, it paused and dropped 

 abruptly into a clump of elderberries. Carefully marking the locality, 



