Q2 Ge?ieral Notes. Man- 



Dr. Brewer (Water Birds of N. A., Vol. I, pp. 95, 96) two specimens were 

 taken in the District in 1817; nothing is known as to their disposition. 



Gallinula galeata. — On April 19 Mr. Zeller brought me a Florida 

 Gallinule. While the species has been taken here before, still this is the 

 first specimen existing in collections. A few days later, about April 22, 

 Mr. J. D. Figgins secured a second specimen from Frederick, Maryland, 

 and on August 12 Mr. Zeller brought me a young male. 



Bartramia longicauda. — Some years ago the Upland Plover is said to 

 have been seen on some hills overlooking the city, but no specimens are 

 known to have been secured. On April 13 Zeller brought me two females 

 killed from a flock of three on the flats. Subsequently a number were 

 heard passing over at night. A few were seen early in August at Laurel, 

 Maryland, and on August 2, about 9 o'clock in the evening, I heard one 

 call as he passed overhead in a southerly direction. 



iEgialitis semipalmata. — On Aug. 22 a young female of this species 

 was brought me, having been killed on the flats near the city. This is the 

 fourth record for the District of Columbia. 



Empidonax pusillus traillii. — -This has always been regarded the rarest 

 of the Flycatchers, very few having been taken up to the present year. 

 On and about May 18, for several days, they were quite corifrmon, and a 

 number were taken by the collectors. 



Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. — A female was brought me on Aug. 

 29, that was killed from a flock of Blackbirds on the marshes adjoining the 

 city. This is the first record for the District. 



Ammodramus henslowii. — Although known from this region for many 

 years, this has been considered one of the rarest Sparrows, although 

 always found in one or two localities. On May 30, while exploring a lo- 

 cality about sixteen miles from Washington a large colony was found, ex- 

 tending over a considerable area, and probably over a much larger territory 

 than that traversed. 



Geothlypis formosa. — The Kentucky Warbler although a resident of 

 the District is one of the rarest of the family, so much so that but few 

 have been taken, and frequently several years elapse between captures, 

 while the eggs are unknown in local collections. Mr. Henshaw found a 

 vacant nest some years ago, but with this exception the actual nesting in 

 this locality has remained unknown. On May 30 a trip to Johnson's 

 Gully, sixteen miles south of Washington, revealed quite a number of 

 these birds, and frequently they could be heard singing in two or three 

 directions at once. While walking along an old cattle trail, I flushed a 

 bird from a nest containing five eggs directly beneath my feet, and shot 

 her to be sure of identification ; the eggs were but little incubated. One 

 week later, June 6, a second nest was found, containing four eggs, slightly 

 incubated, in a location similar to that of the first, and but a short dis- 

 tance from it, and close beside a path. Both nests were at the bottom of 

 the gully, beside the only path traversing its length, and were without the 

 slightest attempt at concealment. — E. M. Hasbrouck, Washington, 

 D. C. 



