^°^?14^] General Notes. 105 



On October 3, 1909, 1 secured a specimen of Sabine's Gull (Xema sabinii), 

 it was wading in the mud along the edge of a small pond and I first took it 

 to be a plover, but on approaching nearer I found it was an unknown bird 

 to me. As I had no gun with me I had to return over a mile to get it, on 

 returning I found the bird swimming in the shallow water. It was an im- 

 mature male in fine plumage. There is a previous record of its captxire 

 in the state, made I believe by Goss. 



A fine specimen of Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria morinella) was taken 

 October 1, 1911, on the bank of a large artificial lake near here, it is an adult 

 male. There is one previous record, a single specimen taken by Mr. F. E. 

 Forbes on the Kansas River, August 16, 1898 (Snow). In Prof. Snow's 

 last Catalog of Kansas Birds he states that he has omitted from it fourteen 

 species that were inserted in his first and second editions on the authority of 

 Dr. Brewer and Prof. Baird, but no specimens having been secured to date 

 he preferred to drop them. Among them were the Black-bellied Plover 

 (Squatarola squatarola) and the Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator). 

 1 have four specimens of the former, two males and one female, adults, and 

 an immature male. The first three were taken on the same lake as the 

 turnstone, September 8, 1912, there were six in the flock, all adults; the 

 other was taken a few days later, October 13, at the same place, and was 

 alone. A Red-breasted Merganser was shot out of quite a flock of ducks, 

 March 1, 1912. It is a male in full plumage. 



In company with the Black-beUied Plovers I secured a specimen of 

 Eastern WiUet {Catoptrophorus semipalmatus semipalmatus) for which I do 

 not think there is a pubhshed record for the state. The difference is 

 quite apparent when the two birds are placed side by side. Our common 

 Kansas bird being the western form. 



On December 21, 1910, I was fortunate to secure a specimen of Evening 

 Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina vespertina), a male, and I should judge 

 in full plumage. It was shot out of a flock of about a dozen as they were 

 flying overhead, I was unable to secure other specimens. This also is I 

 think a first record for the state. 



I also have specimens of Knot {Tringa canutus), Stilt Sandpiper (Micro- 

 palama himantopus) and Red-legged Black Duck (Anas rubripes) also 

 Red Backed Sandpiper (Pelidna alpina pacifica), all of which are of such 

 rarity as to be classed as accidental visitants. 



Identifications of all the above have been verified by the University of 

 Kansas. — G. C. Rinker, Hamilton, Kansas. 



A Quaint Reminiscence of Audubon. — After John James Audubon 

 had completed his double elephant foUo " Birds of America " and published 

 also his " Synopsis of the Birds of North America," and had in 1839 re- 

 turned from his last voyage to England, he lived for a while in New York 

 City, previous to his moving in 1842 to the then suburbs, or what is now 

 known as Audubon Park. 



During this time he seems to have turned his attention more particularly 



