1920 J General Notes 455 



Schiffornis iurdinus rosenbergi (Hartert). 



Schiffornis turdinus furvus (Ridgway). 



Schiffornis turdinus veraepacis (Sclater and Salvin). 



Schiffornis turdinus stenorhynchus (Sclater and Salvin). 



Schiffornis unicolor (Bonaparte). 



Schiffornis pallescens (Lafresnaye). 



Schiffornis sidphureiventer (Hellmayr) . 



Schiffornis chrysocephalus (Pelzeln). 

 This disposition of the generic name Schiffornis leaves the group for- 

 merly called by this name without a generic designation, and we, there- 

 fore, propose to call it Massornis ([Jidaacov, major, opvtq, avis), nom. nov., 

 and designate as the type species Schiffornis major Des Murs. This, the 

 only species of the genus, will consequently be known as Massornis major 

 (Des Murs). — Harry C. Oberholsbr, Washington, D. C. 



Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona v. vesper Una) in Minnesota in 

 Mid-summer. — On July 28, 1900, on a bright and beautiful sunny day, 

 between the hours of 12 and 1, while the family was seated at the dinner 

 table, I was startled by a flock of at least five or six Evening Grosbeaks, 

 which lit in a medium-sized Box-Elder tree near my home in Aitkin. I 

 was so astonished that in our eagerness to see the birds both Mrs. Lano 

 and I rushed to the open door to get a glimpse of them. They evidently 

 heard us, for they were alarmed and flew away before we could see any 

 of them. The distance between the tree and the dinner table was less 

 than twenty-five feet and since there was also an open window beside the 

 door on the same side of the house as the tree, their call notes could be 

 beard very distinctly. They were very restless and called loudly, more 

 so than 1 had ever heard them during winter seasons. Of their identity 

 I was positive beyond the slightest shade of doubt, for 1 had observed the 

 species for more than 15 years during their winter visits to the state. 



Again I take the following from my notes: Aug. 4, 1903, while on my 

 way from my home to my place of business at 7:30 A. M., I saw two 

 Evening Grosbeaks flying over in a northwesterly direction. Both were 

 uttering their familiar plaintive notes which can not possibly be mistaken 

 for any other ISorth American species. 



My latest spring date is May 19, 1901, when a small flock was observed 

 in town. But these, no doubt, were belated migrants on their way north 

 to their summer home. If Evening Grosbeaks do not nest in Aitkin 

 County, what were these birds doing there in mid-summer? If only an 

 individual had been observed on one or two occasions it would be con- 

 sidered accidental. I am certain that some future day some ornithologist 

 living in Aitkin County or even farther north, who will have more time 

 at his disposal, will discover the species nesting, if not regularly, at least 

 occasionally. — Albert Lano, Fayetteville, Arkansas. 



