V °\^9 XVI ] Genmi Notes. 277 



Vernon Bailey. It has already been recorded incidentally (Cooke, Bull. 

 U. S. Dept. Agric, No. 292, October 25, 1915, p. 47), but owing to its 

 importance it seems worthy of special notice in a place more accessible 

 to ornithologists generally. It represents the easternmost record of Larus 

 canus brachyrhynchus, and the only really interior occurrence of the species 

 in the United States. For the change of the name of this bird from Larus 

 brachyrhynchus to Larus canus brachyrhynchus see ' The Auk,' XXXVI, 

 No. 1, January, 1919, p. 83. — Harry C. Oberholser, Washington, D. C. 



Polysticta Eyton versus Stelkria Bonaparte.— Mr. G. M. Mathews 

 has recently (Austral Avian Record, III, No. 5, December 28, 1917, p. 123) 

 advocated the use of the generic name Stellaria Bonaparte for the species 

 now known as Polysticta stelleri (Pallas). The term Stelleria is, of course, 

 as he shows, not debarred from employment in zoology by the previous 

 use of Stellaria in botany; but he has apparently overlooked the fact that 

 Polysticta is not preoccupied, since Polysticte Smith (Must. South Afr. 

 Zool.), June [or later], 1836, does not invalidate Polysticta Eyton (Catal. 

 Brit. Birds), April, 1836, a fact to which Dr. C. W. Richmond long ago 

 (Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. XVI, September 30, 1903, p. 128) called attention. 

 It is evident, therefore, that the name of Steller's Eider should remain 

 Polysticta stelleri (Pallas). — Harry C. Oberholser, Washington, D. C. 



Further Record of the European Widgeon at Madison, Wis. — 

 On April 14, 1918, in the wide-water at the head of Lake Waubesa, four 

 miles south of Madison, I was able to identify unmistakably a typical 

 specimen of the European Widgeon (Mareca penelope) that was in the 

 company of seventeen Baldpates (Mareca americana). The bird was 

 drawn so close by my 40-power telescope that it covered one-third of the 

 field and allowed close study. 



It may be of further interest to restate the substance of a note sub- 

 mitted by Mr. A. W. Schorger to the January, 1918 issue of ' The Auk ' 

 in regard to the recent appearance of the European Widgeon in the vicinity 

 of Madison. On April 22, 1917, a specimen was discovered by Mr. Schorger 

 on the Hammersley Marsh in company with about thirty Baldpates and 

 a few other ducks. It remained at least four days and was seen by me at 

 close range on three occasions ; the last being on the 26th. On the 28th 

 Mr. George H. Jenkins observed a specimen, perhaps the same, among a 

 flock of Baldpates on the Yahara Marshes ten miles distant. — Warner 

 Taylor, Madison, Wisconsin. 



A Late Record for Rallus elegans for Maine. — November 22, 1909, 

 Mr. A. G. Dorr, Bucksport, Me., collected and sent me in the flesh a fine 

 male specimen of the King Rail. It measured as follows: length, 16.30; 

 wing, 6.75; tail, 2.10; tarsus, 2.34 and bill, 2.40 inches. It was marked 

 above with brownish-black and olive-brown feather edging; light throat 

 and rufous-cinnamon, breast and flanks fuscous, distinctly barred with 



