7 8 



General Notes. I j^ 



Since then I have looked in many books for something about the 

 feeding habits of Loons but have found nothing. If it is a habit of theirs 

 to eat these mussels, my specimen simply began too early ; if not, either it 

 was too enterprising or too curious and tried to pick out the inmate from 

 its shell gaping open upon the bottom, or else while probing for some- 

 thing else in the sand it accidentally pushed its lower bill into the 

 open shell, with the results above detailed. At all events the incident 

 may show something to those fitted to interpret it. — W. F. Ganong, 

 Northampton, Mass. 



'Gull Dick' Again. — -'Gull Dick' returned again (see Auk, IX, p. 227; 

 X, p. 76; XI, p. 73 ; XII, p. 76) on the evening of April 6, 1895, in com- 

 pany with a young Gull, lie being hungry was fed as usual, and after 

 satisfvinghis appetite flew around the lightship and, in company with the 

 young Gull, took his departure. I had but little hope that I should ever 

 hear of his return. I was consequently agreeably surprised on receiving 

 a letter from Captain Edward Fogarty, dated Oct. 2, 1895, informing me 

 that 'Dick' had arrived that morning at sunrise for the twenty-fourth 

 season. He looked in much better condition than last season, his feathers 

 being smooth, with nothing of the ragged appearance he presented on his 

 arrival last year. He seemed pretty hungry on being fed at 7 A. M. There 

 was another Gull with him, but evidently not a friend, as ' Dick ' would 

 not allow him to partake of any of his breakfast. — George II. Mackay, 

 Nantucket, Mass. 



An Early Description of Phalacrocorax dilophus. — The unpublished 

 journal of David Thompson, of the old North West Company, Book No. 25, 

 bound in Vol. XI, folio 46, date Thursday, Maj 9, 181 1, when the celebrated 

 traveller and surveyor was on certain headwaters of the Columbia River, 

 has the following: "i Cormorant. They are plenty. This had tine 

 green eyes, the hall black, the eyelids marked with blue like very small 

 beads to a button hole, and the neck ami head a tine glossy bright black 

 with a bunch of side feathers on each side the back of the head." — 

 Elliott Coils. Washington, D. C. 



Another Harlequin Duck Record for Long Island. — A male Harlequin 

 Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) was shot at Orient Point (directly oppo- 

 site Plum Island, I.. I., where the species has formerly been taken) on 

 November 11, 1895, and was mounted by a local bird stuffer. A female 

 accompanied the male but was not procured. The male is now in the pos- 

 session of Mrs. James Douglas of Orient, L.I. — W. W. WofeTHlNGTON, 

 Shelter Island Heights, X. Y. 



Olor buccinator in Western Minnesota. — It was not until 1893 that I 

 observed this truly noble bird for the first time. Since then not less than 

 seven specimens have come to my notice. The species is, however, not 



