Vol. xxnn ^ 



1906 J iUFRiG, Notes on Northern Birds. 3J5 



Museum of Animated Nature, 'I found it stated that this grebe 

 plucks out some of its own feathers either purposely to "aid in 

 digestion " or inadvertently while preening. I cleaned the feathers 

 therefore, and on close inspection and comparison it is seen that 

 they undoubtedly are some of its own feathers. But why these 

 birds should swallow so many of their feathers while preening, 

 whereas none are found in the gizzards of other birds that preen 

 just as much, would, I think, be hard to say. Or do they really 

 eat them purposely to ' aid digestion ' ? 



Glaucous Gull {Larus glaucus). On December 2, 1905 

 the watchman at the Dominion rifle range here, which is' on the 

 south bank of the Ottawa River, took a specimen of this gull in 

 one of the several immature plumages. This is the first record 

 for this vicinity. 



Hybrid Black Duck {Anas obscura rubripesf).— The status 

 of the Black Duck here is quite interesting. According to local 

 ornithologists of long standing and of ability, the facts do not 

 agree with Brewster's position as stated in Vol. XIX of 'The 

 Auk.' We may revert to this sometime in the future. What is 

 to be recorded here is an apparently new and curious hybrid. On 

 last Nov. 20, I saw in the Ottawa market a number of Black 

 Ducks that were strikingly dissimilar to the common form. The 

 head was larger, the neck thicker and shorter, the color blacker, 

 especially also about the head and neck, and the bill and tarsus 

 shorter and stouter. The dealer said they had been shot on the 

 St. Lawrence River, near Montreal. Two ornithological friends 

 of mine, who besides being highly competent ornithologists, are 

 also sportsmen of long experience, say that this form is a hybrid 

 between Black Ducks used on the St. Lawrence as decoys and 

 some domestic ducks. Are similar hybrids noticed elsewhere? 

 — The more common hybrid form, Black Duck + Mallard also 

 occurs here. 



Canada Goose (Branta canadensis).— There is a flock of 

 semi-domesticated Canada Geese kept here in the residential 

 part of Ottawa by a Mr. Latour. I know there are such semi- 

 domesticated flocks elsewhere, e. g., on Chincoteague Island 

 Virginia, but I would like to record this flock because it throws 

 some light on the age question. Mr. Latour has one pair since 



