ZuO General Notes. [April 



Another Occurrence of a Starling Near Montgomery, Ala. — 



On Sunday, January 4, 1920, two gentlemen from Montgomery, while 

 hunting at the mouth of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers, and near old 

 Fort Toulouse, noted a large flock of what they thought to be Waxwings. 

 As they looked rather large, however, they fired one shot to settle the 

 question, killing two birds, which proved to be Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). 

 They estimated the number to have been conservatively from 150 to 200, 

 and noted two other small flocks of from eight to twelve birds later on 

 during the day. They think, however, that these two last named groups 

 were from the original flock which had alighted in a tree, and which they 

 later in the day saw feeding in the neighborhood. 



1 was presented with one of the birds, which proved to be a male. The 

 other one killed had been picked before I learned of its having been killed. 

 The male has been mounted, and presented to the Museum of the State 

 Geological Survey at Tuscaloosa. 



This is the second occurrence in the past two years of the Starling near 

 this city, the other one having been reported by me in 'The Auk' for 

 April, 1918. It was killed on the night of January 14, 191S. — Peter A. 

 Brannon, Montgomery, Ala. 



A Flight of Newfoundland Crossbills. — Apparently the cone crop 

 in Newfoundland has been a failure this season and, on account of the 

 scarcity of food, the resident Crossbills have been induced to wander far 

 in search of food. I have had five specimens of Loxia curvirostra percna 

 sent to me in the flesh from Chathamport, Mass.; Mr. Harry T. Hathaway 

 has sent me three from Rhode Island; and Mr. Alexander Wetmore has 

 sent me one from Virginia. These specimens, which are all typical percna, 

 indicate an extensive flight of this subspecies. It would be interesting 

 if other observers elsewhere would be on the lookout for this subspecies 

 and report them, so that we can determine the limits of this rather unusual 

 flight and learn how universal it is and how abundant the birds are. 



Loxia curvirostra per.na is easily distinguishable, even in life, from 

 Loxia curvirostra minor, with which it seems to be associated in this flight, 

 by its decidedly larger size and by its much longer and heavier bill. I 

 should be glad to identify any specimens that may be sent to me for deter- 

 mination. — A. C. Bent, Taunton, Mass. 



Evening Grosbeak at Valley Falls, N. Y.— On January 20, 1920. 

 a flock of Evening Grosbeaks appeared in town. They were first seen 

 near the public school and later I counted twelve feeding on the seeds of 

 a sugar maple in my front yard. They uttered a single sweet note from 

 time to time and seemed little disturbed by persons passing by. A few 

 • lavs later a single female was seen in the same tree. I saw her break off 

 a twig at least an inch long and apparently devour it whole. — Grace 

 Young Bowen, Valley Falls, N. Y. 



