V ° 8 1X ] General Notes. 301 



men saw this bird on the ground devouring the body of a wildcat which, 

 when frightened away, it carried off in its claws. Shortly afterwards the 

 bird was seen in a tree in the viciutv. A rope snare was rigged in the 

 tree's top, and the bird captured, and brought alive to Mr. Shooter. 

 It seemed at times to be troubled with a kind of asthma: which trouble 

 seemed to increase, for it appeared to be a local complaint. A month 

 later Mr. Shooter's assistant in trying, alone, to move this powerful bird 

 from one cage to another, was severely bitten, and in trying to *ave a 

 finger from being bitten off, broke the bird's neck. This bird's skin was 

 mounted ami is now at the Chicago exhibition. 



In or about 1S89, a bird of this species was captured near Puente, Los 

 Angeles County, and was brought to Mr. Shooter. It was emaciated and 

 dying when found. 



During his thirteen years' residence in Los Angeles, Mr. Shooter 

 remembers having seen but two other California Vultures. He con- 

 siders them very rare ; though recently a hunter has informed him that 

 he knows of the whereabouts of two that keep in the mountains. — R. II. 

 Lawrence, Duarte, Cala. 



Cathartes aura in Chenango County, New York. — In the latter part of 

 the summer of 1891 a Turkey Vulture was shot in the town of McDonough, 

 New York, and was mounted by a young taxidermist of that place. At the 

 time it was killed it was feeding on the carcase of a woodchuck. — Henry 

 C. Higgins, Cincifinatus, Nexv York. 



Strix pratincola in New York. — A fine female Barn Owl, now in my 

 collection of mounted birds, was shot September 13, 1S91, in the town of 

 Pitcher, about three miles from this place.— Henry C. Higgins, Cincin- 

 natus, Nexv York. 



Short-eared Owl Nesting on Plum Island, New York. — While on a 

 visit to Plum Island, on May 7, 1S91, I noticed a Short-eared Owl circling 

 over the beach grass on the southwest plain and, on my approach, show- 

 ing unmistakable signs of anxiety. With the aid of my setter 'Jack' I soon 

 flushed the female, and discovered the nest, which consisted of a slight 

 hollow in the bare sand in a rather scattering growth of beach grass, with 

 no attempt at concealment. It contained one young bird which, as near 

 as I could judge, was about two weeks old, one rotten egg, and three mea- 

 dow mice (Arvicola), minus their heads. 



The old male circled around about fifty yards off, uttering cries which 

 sounded very much like the squealing of young pigs. The female came 

 much closer, and her cries reminded me of the barking of a young puppy. 

 I searched the vicinity for more young, but failed to find any. — -W. W. 

 Worthington, Shelter Island Heights. Nexv York. 



