V °S2 3 X ] General Notes. 77 



Branta canadensis. — At Prince Edward Island on September 6, 7, and 

 8, 1892, Canada Geese gathered at Hogg Island flats, at the mouth of 

 Richmond Bay, to a greater extent than has ever been known before at 

 this season of the year, estimates of the number being impossible. On 

 September 9 they rose up in the air, and remained in sight some thirty 

 minutes. As watched from a distance of about two miles they had the 

 appearance of a large thunder cloud over a mile in length. Mr. William 

 Everett of Dorchester, Mass., who visits Prince Edward Island every 

 season has kindly furnished me with the above information. 



Mr. H. G. Nutter of Boston informs me that he saw at Ponkapog Pond, 

 Mass., Oct. 17, 1892, four flocks of Canada Geese flying southwest. One 

 flock contained seven birds; one, eleven; one, thirty-two; and the other, 

 forty to fifty. — George H. Mackay, Nantucket, Mass. 



Branta bernicla at Nantucket, Massachusetts. — I am informed by Mr. 

 Charles E. Snow that on Nov. 22, 1892, while shooting at the extreme 

 western end of Nantucket, he saw large numbers of Brant {Branta berni- 

 cla) flying towards the southwest. They passed mostly through the 

 'opening' between the islands of Nantucket and Tuckernuck. Some of 

 the flocks contained from one to two hundred birds. He also noted 

 several hundred American Eider Ducks (Somateria dresseri) well up in 

 the air flying in the same direction. The wind was north-northwest and 

 northwest. — George H. Mackay, Nantucket, Mass. 



Notes on the American Bittern. — Late last September a female Botaurus 

 lentiginosus was discovered by some boys upon the margin of a small pond 

 at a short distance behind my residence. It was a most unusual locality 

 for the species to occur, and its coming there appeared to have been due 

 to the fact that the bird was exhausted by long flight. After flying a few 

 yards it was easily captured, and was brought to me alive, without having 

 received any bodily harm whatever. Next morning it had recovered no 

 little of its strength, and it was remarkable to observe how noiselessly and 

 with what ease it could fly about a furnished room without overturning 

 any small object of furniture. It gracefully flew up from the floor and 

 perched upon the curtain rod of a high window, where it sat for an hour 

 or more in a characteristic position, as motionless as a statue. If 

 approached when upon the ground, it eyed you keenly, assumed a squat- 

 ting posture, widely spread out the feathers at either side of the neck, 

 while it slightly raised those of the rest of the body and its wings; and 

 finally, when it considered you within the proper distance, drew all its 

 plumage close to its body and delivered, as quick as a flash, a darting blow 

 with its beak. This thrust, I am sure, is generally given with sufficient 

 violence to pierce one nearly through an eye, even were the lid instinc- 

 tively drawn down to protect that organ. By such a blow it can easily stab 

 a large frog through and through its head, impaling the creature upon the 

 end of its beak, — a feat I have seen the bird perform. A loud blowing 

 noise accompanies this attack of the Bittern, which varies in its intensity, 



