4o2 General Notes. [oct. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Concerning the Occurrence of the Western and other Gulls in 

 Southeastern Alaska. — In reviewing my recent paper on Alaskan lairds 

 in 'The Auk' (July, 1916, p. 335) the editor has found my notes on certain 

 species of gulls to be indefinite. This is unfortunate, and it therefore 

 seems desirable to present the facts in detail that the record may be clearly 

 understood. 



When we steamed out of Puget Sound, the ship was followed by a large 

 straggling flock of gulls composed of four species; the Glaucous-winged, 

 Western, Herring, and California Gulls. During the time we were in the 

 Inside Passage and until we reached Ketchikan individuals of all these 

 species were present. The birds were very tame and not only followed 

 us but often flew abreast of the ship at about the height of the deck and 

 within 20 or 25 feet of us, and frequently rested on the yards or davits. 

 During these days much time was spent on deck watching and photo- 

 graphing them and their identification was made certain beyond any 

 reasonable doubt, although no specimens were shot. 



After the second day some of the Western Gulls began to drop behind 

 and continued to do so until only four were left. These four remained 

 with us until we anchored at Ketchikan. It is probable that some of the 

 other species also left us, but this is not easy to prove as their places were 

 taken by others, so that the total of our attendants did not vary much. 

 As we neared Ketchikan a number of Ring-billed Gulls appeared and 

 joined the others. 



During the trip we occasionally passed other vessels, each of which had 

 its following of gulls. It therefore appears probable that these birds pass 

 up and down this coast more frequently than the limited number of records 

 from the region seems to show. — F. Seymour Hersey, Taunton, Mass. 



A Note on the Mottled Duck. — I want to correct a statement made 

 by me in 'The Auk' (1912, p. 297) in which I compared a series of Anas 

 fulvigula maculosa, from Brownsville, Tex., with a large series of Florida 

 Ducks {A. f. fulvigula) and remarked that I could find no distinct difference 

 between the two forms. In January, 1914, while paying a visit to Mr. E. 

 A. Mcllihenny, at Avery Island, Louisiana, I was able to collect a series of 

 seven of the Mottled Ducks from the Vermilion Bay region. There are 

 six adult males and one female. Taken as a whole this Louisiana series 

 is even darker than the Texas series; the breasts of the males are very 

 dark,_ glossy chestnut, and the ground color of the cheeks and chin is 

 distinctly more rufous than in the Texas series or in the Florida series. 

 The cheeks are also quite heavily streaked, and this streaking extends in 

 all cases far below the superciliary stripe ; in the Florida ducks the streak- 

 ing of the cheeks is finer and does not extend so far ventrally on to the chin,.. 



