232 General Notes. [j$ n 



very wild that it was lost among the sand hills. In order to satisfy my- 

 self that the bird I failed to get would remain, I made another visit on 

 February 9, to the island, and after searching for more than three hours 

 I succeeded in flushing and finally securing it. All the specimens taken 

 are females. The winter of 1906 has been the mildest since the winter 

 of 1889-90, and the presence of these birds on this coast is not due to a 

 rigorous season, but to the absence of the food supply. For previous rec- 

 ords of the capture of this species in South Carolina by the writer, see 

 'The Auk.' April, 1902, p. 203.— Arthur T. Wayne, Mount Pleasant, 

 S. C. 



Tagging Migrants. — In accordance with the scheme outlined in 'The 

 Auk,' XXI, p. 410, I have been placing aluminum tags upon the tarsus 

 of nestling birds, and have induced others to follow my example in the 

 work. This past spring several field workers have been using tags sup- 

 plied by me and this winter the first result has been attained. 



May 29 Mr. Chas. Kirkpatrick of Keota, Keokuck Co., Iowa, tagged a 

 nest of half grown Flickers (Colaptes auratus) near his home. Dec. 25 

 Mr. J. E. Ross took No. 123 of this series at Many, Sabine Co., Louisiana. 

 The bird was not saved but I secured the tag from the collector and have 

 identified it as one of my issue. 



This single success shows what might be expected if the work was more 

 generally prosecuted by ornithologists in the field. The amount of labor 

 it entails to bend bands around the legs of a brood of nestlings is insignifi- 

 cant in comparison with the value of the results that may be achieved if 

 but a very small percentage of the so marked birds ever turn up again. 

 Many of the problems of ornithology can be solved only by some such line 

 of work. Exact data on the age of different plumages, length of life of 

 birds, individual routes of migration and the distances traveled by indi- 

 viduals, are but some of the problems that must be so attacked. To avoid 

 confusion of having several series of tags in use at once it is advisable for 

 one person to issue them, 1 only stipulating that, at the end of the season, 

 a list of the tags so used, the species thus marked, and the date and place, 

 be furnished me to be kept as a matter of record, and to have the benefit 

 of tw r o records to guard against loss of notes through accident. — P. A. 

 Taverner, 165 Oakland Ave., Detroit, Mich. 



Notes from Hancock County, Mississippi. — On January 1, 1902, a 

 specimen of Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii) was taken by W. B. Allison 

 and the writer, in a low meadow cleared from the pine woods near Bay St. 

 Louis. It was in fine plumage and good condition. Another was seen in 

 the same place on February 11, 1902. These two are the only Mississippi 

 records. 



1 The tags are inexpensive and I will gladly distribute them to those desirous of 

 carrying on the work. 



