78 General Notes. [jan. 



Philadelphia Vireo (Vireosylva Philadelphia) in Massachusetts in 

 Autumn. — On Sept. 5, 1915, I shot a young male Philadelphia Vireo in 

 Harvard, Mass. The specimen is now in my collection (No. 551). 



I am indebted to Mr. Outram Bangs of the Museum of Comparative 

 Zoology for verifying my identification. — James I>. Peters, Harvard, 

 Mass. 



Additional Autumn Records for the Tennessee Warbler {Vermi- 

 vora peregrina) in Massachusetts. — I have previously had occasion to 

 record (Auk, Vol. XXXI, No. 1, p. 103), the occurrence of the Tennessee 

 Warbler in Harvard, Mass., during the autumn migration. I now wish to 

 add the following additional instances of its occurrence in this town since 

 my last note was published. 



Sept. 25, 1913, a young male shot (coll. J. L. P. No. 415). 



Sept. 11, 1915, an adult male shot (coll. J. L. P. No. 565). 



Sept. 23, 1915, an adult male shot (coll. J. L. P. No. 595). 



Sept. 30, 1915, one seen. 



The lack of records for 1914 is accounted for by the fact that 1 was out 

 of the State thi-oughout the autumn. I have no doubt that the species 

 occurs sparingly with us every autumn. — James L. Peters, Harvard, 

 Mas.'i. 



Orange-crowned Warbler {Vermivora celata celaia) in North Carolina. 



— On Jan. 3, 1915, we discovered an Orange-crowned Warbler in some 

 live oaks on Monkey Island, Cmrituck Sound. The bird was collected 

 and proved to be a female. It is now in the collection of the American 

 Museum of Natural History, catalogue No. 123,791. 



Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson informs us that this is the third record for the 

 State. The species is rare in winter as far north as Charleston, S. C. — 

 J. T. Nichols and Ludlow Griscom, New York City. 



Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Groton, Mass. — On Nov. 19, 1915, a 

 female or immature Blue-gray Gnatcatcher {Polioptila c. coerulea) was 

 found dead on HoUis St., in Groton, Mass., by Master Robert F. Cressey, 

 seven years of age, a member of the local bird club. The specimen is now 

 being mounted for the collection of the Museum Society at Groton School. — 

 William P. Wharton, Groton, Mass. 



Notation of Bird Songs and Notes. — I think the importance of this 

 difficult subject justifies patient and kindly effort long continued in suggest- 

 ing methods and improvements until we approach perfection as nearly as 

 practicable. 



The common five-line music staff is good for pitch and rhythm; but it 

 seems to me unnecessary to indicate the exact pitch of bird notes since they 

 var}' to a great extent. Besides, the notes and songs of a number of indi- 

 viduals of a given species differ so much that a music-staff notation of one 

 or two birds of most species would present but a small portion of the re- 



