"I'sg?^^! Palmer, A Petrel N'exv to North America. 209 



had shot it on August 28, while it was flying over the Anacostia 

 River, near the Navy Yard Bridge, with several others. The 

 other I received the next day from a friend who had obtained it 

 from a lady who had secured it in the following decidedly novel 

 manner. Their house on Capitol Hill, in Washington, has a 

 gable roof with a small round window facing the east. During 

 the early progress of the storm it was remembered that this 

 window was open and one of the family went upstairs to close it. 

 This bird was found fluttering in the room, evidently having 

 entered through the window. It was secured and efforts made to 

 feed it, but two days later it died, and then came into my hands. 

 On receipt of the first specimen, as a Petrel is decidedly a rare 

 acquisition for Washington, I went to show it to Mr. Ridgway, as 

 we usually do when receiving rarities, but unfortunately he was 

 absent. The almost even tail was noticed, but as new feathers 

 were found and no specimens of leiicorhoa were available, it 

 was concluded that molting was the cause of the shortness. Upon 

 receiving the second specimen and noting no difference between 

 the two I concluded they were the same. I had no specimens of 

 Leach's then with which to compare, and of course never dreamed 

 that a Sandwich Islands species, unknown to North America, 

 could by any possibility be in my possession. Recently having 

 to compare some Alaskan Petrels I noticed disagreements and 

 accordingly submitted them to the inspection of Mr. Ridgway, 

 who at once recognized his own species and expressed astonish- 

 ment at seeing it under such circumstances. Thus a most unex- 

 pected species is added to our local list and at the same time also 

 to North America. It is truly a wanderer of whose home nothing 

 is known. Other specimens may exist in collections, though, like 

 these, under another name. No. 3234 is now No. 154436 of the 

 U. S. National Museum catalogue. 



