390 General Notes. [j^jjj 



The following description may be of interest, though lacking in certain 

 details, as it was taken from the mounted bird making a proper examination 

 of the wings, axillars, etc., impossible. 



Head brownish gray, darker on crown. Chin and throat white, this 

 area extending half way around the upper neck, its posterior margin being 

 less clearly defined owing to some of the feathers having narrow ashy tips. 

 Rest of neck ashy. Upper breast with a light ashy area about one and a 

 quarter inches wide, very slightly washed with light brown, extending 

 about three quarters around the body. Breast dark gray with tinge of 

 light brown, the ends of the feathers being minutely dotted and streaked 

 with black. Lower breast, sides, belly, and under tail-coverts brownish 

 gray, lighter on the belly. Scapulars brownish gray, some of the feathers 

 having narrow ashy tips. Long scapulars more pearly. Lesser wing- 

 coverts ashy. Secondaries and ends of greater wing-coverts white. 

 Primaries brownish black; alula blackish brown. Lower back and tail- 

 coverts brownish gray. Tail blackish brown with a slight hoary tinge. 



Measurements in inches as follows: culmen, 1.55; bill along gape, 

 2.25; tarsus, L55; middle toe, 2.15. 



This specimen is now on exhibition, with another young male of more 

 advanced plumage, in the museum of the Boston Society of Natural 

 History, and is I believe the forty-fourth extant to date. — Winthrop S. 

 Brooks, Milton, Mass. 



Massachusetts Geese.— The past autumn of 1911 will long be re- 

 membered by the gunners along the track of Canada Geese in eastern 

 Massachusetts, on account of the great abundance of these birds. The 

 numbers seen and laken were extremely unusual, and probably have not 

 been exceeded for a great many years. 



It has been suggested that protection of fowl on the island of Anticosti 

 may have had something to do with the present apparent increase of our 

 coastal flight. Be that as it may, the next few years will show whether 

 this present abundance is a real increase or only a temporary fluctuation. 



In 1908 about 1450 geese were taken in eastern Massachusetts and in 

 1909 about 1900 (see Auk for July, 1910). This year I took the trouble to 

 again estimate the total kill, though in 1910 I have no figures. The total 

 arrived at for this past season of 1911 is 3518, or nearly twice as many as 

 for 1909 and almost two and a half times as many as for 1908. 



There were 2112 geese counted at Dedham and over 1000 of these lit 

 in the pond. 



The figures from which the 1911 totals were obtained are given below. 



Duxbury Bay 800 



Silver Lake 475 



Accord Pond, Hingham 300 



Great South Pond, Plymouth 225 



John's Pond, Sandwich 185 



Bobbins Pond, Bridgewater 200 



