108 General Notes. [f^^ 



and fresh water supplied from Lake Michigan, on which occasion all the 

 waterfowl have great sport in the clean, fresh water. Last February 

 the new system of supply was forced by suction through a screen, by a 

 very powerful steam pump. After the pond was filled it was noticed that 

 the water was thick and oily and instead of " running off the duck's back " 

 as usual, soaked right into his feathers. In a few minutes the birds be- 

 came literally water-logged, and were floundering around, unable to keep 

 on top of the water, and too weak to crawl up on the island. Boards were 

 floated on the surface, on to which some of the birds climbed, while the 

 water was being run off, which took about an hour. It was found that the 

 bottom of the pond was covered to a depth of several inches with a thick 

 pulp of pulverized fish, which had been ground up by being sucked through 

 the fine screen. Several wagon loads were removed, and it took a long 

 time to clean the pond and the birds which were soaked with the oily 

 moisture.— Henry K. Coale, Highland Park, III. 



Shore-bird Notes. — Last September, Wilson's Phalarope appears to 

 have been not uncommon along the Atlantic Coast. I have never seen 

 this species before, although I shot a Northern Phalarope at Quogue, L. I., 

 during the month of August, 1907. I have the following records of the 

 occurrence of Wilson's Phalarope. Adult female shot by Mr. Whitlock 

 at Quogue on September 4. Immature in winter plumage were shot near 

 Currituck Light House, North Carohna, by Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Nourse 

 on September 7, September 8 (two), and September 12. A well-marked 

 female was seen by me September 14. This bird was so tame that it 

 allowed me almost to touch it before it flew away in a zigzag manner. An 

 old gunner at Currituck had never seen these birds before. 



The Buff-breasted Sandpiper seems also to have been unusually common 

 along the coast. Mr. Whitlock shot a specimen at Quogue, L. I., on Sep- 

 tember 4, and three at Currituck on September 12. I saw a flock of six 

 at the same place on September 14. This species was also unknown to the 

 local gunners. 



On September 11, at Currituck, I shot a Solitary Sandpiper on a sandy 

 beach. I have frequently seen this bird in woodland streams but never 

 near salt water. 



On September 12, two Marbled Godwits were shot by Mr. Whitlock and 

 myself at Currituck. The female was the smaller, measuring 17.00 and the 

 male 19.25. The absence of bars on the underparts would indicate that 

 they were young birds. 



I trust these records may be of interest, both as individual records 

 and also as showing the tendency of certain western Shore-birds to follow 

 the same line of migration to the shores of North Carolina as is later fol- 

 lowed in far greater numbers by the Canvas-back, the Mallard, and the 

 Whistling Swan.— Frederick Wm. Kobbe, New York City. 



