yi General Notes. [January 



Calidris arenaria in Massachusetts in Winter. — While on a shooting 

 trip at Nantucket Island, Mass., I saw on Dec. 13, 1891, a Sanderling 

 which alighted for a niomant within a few feet of where I was and then 

 flew away. As I have before stated (Auk, VII, 294), some of these birds 

 i-egularly winter in. this locality. — George II. Mackay, Natitiickef, Muss. 



Late Breeding of Columbigallina passerina. — On November 3, 1891, 

 I saw a pair of Ground Doves just able to fly. They were accompanied 

 by their parents. This species must breed regularly up to November, for 

 on ^tober 19, 1886, I took a set of two slightly incubated eggs on Sulli- 

 van's Island, South Carolina. — Arthur T. Wayne, Mount Pleasant, South 

 Carolina. 



A Belated Migrant. — On November 26, 1891, I saw and positively iden- 

 tified a Bobolink {Dolic/iotiyx oryzivorus). I had just shot a Wild 

 Turkey, and had scarcely walked ten steps with the Turkey when, quite 

 to my surprise, a Bobolink flew up from a patch of weeds. I could have 

 easily shot the bi?-d, but did not care to. Previous to November 26 the 

 weather was very inclement, there having been ice four times. — Arthur 

 T. Wayne, Mount Pleasant, Sout/t Carolina. 



Junco hyemalis in Eastern Massachusetts in June. — On May 23, 1891, 

 I was much surprised to find a male Snowbird {Junco hyemalis) feeding 

 in a pasture at some distance from my home, in company with two Chip- 

 ping Sparrows {Spizella socialis). On May 27 he was in the same pas- 

 ture, again in company with two Chippers. Owing to the distance, my 

 next visit to the place was on June 7, when I found things going on as 

 before. Evidently the Snowbird intended to spend the stnnmer there. 



June 13 Mr. Bradford Torrey accompanied me, and we then found the 

 Junco engaged in feeding young birds in a nest looking exactly like a 

 typical Chipping Sparrow's nest, placed in the crotch of a small limb of a 

 red cedar some twelve feet from the ground. After waiting a few minutes 

 we saw a female Chipper feed the same young, and then the case waxed 

 exceedingly interesting, for it seemed to be one of interbreeding between 

 birds of different genera. To our disappointment, however, a male Chip- 

 per finally appeared, who showed much interest in subsequent proceed- 

 ings. But he never once brought food, while the Snowbird and female 

 Chipper did so constantly. Any casual observer would undoubtedly 

 have declared them the parents of the brood. When, at last, I climbed 

 the tree to get a look at the young birds, Junco made far more protest than 

 did either of the Sparrows; in short, during all our visit, he behaved pre- 

 cisely as the father of the young birds would naturally do. 



Of course we decided to obtain the young when they should become of 

 proper size and plumage. But this proved impracticable. The birds got 

 out of the nest, and although I with others saw the Snowbird feed them 

 repeatedly after this, we were unable to get one of them for examination. 

 It must be said, however, that, so far as we could observe with the aid of 



