254 General Notes. 



Auk 

 April 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Nesting of Man-o'-war-bird (Fregata aquila) in Cuba. — Puerto 

 Kseondido IS a small and from the open sea invisible port on the south 

 coast of Cuba a lew miles to the east of Guantanamo Hay. It was used 

 in the old days as a pirate retreat, being admirably fitted for the purpose 

 by its narrow entrance and inconspicuousness, and is so mentioned in ' Tom 

 Cringle-! Log' by Mr. Scott. The name Puerto Escondido means the 

 Hidden Tort. It will now form part of the U. S. Naval Station at Cuanta- 

 nanui Hay and will therefore be American territory. In this port is a small 

 Key — Cayo C.uincho — about 100 feet in diameter composed mostly 

 of mud upon which grows, in the center, a large mangroove tree surrounded 

 by smaller ones in the water. Upon approaching the key on Dee. 23, 1910, 

 large numbers of Man-o'-war-birds were seen flying about it and upon a 

 closer inspection it was noticed that the large tree had a number of nests 

 upon it. The birds, frightened by the launch, left the nests so hurriedly 

 that some eggs were knocked out, while below, among the roots of the 

 smaller mangroves in the water, two species of "snapper" (.Xeoiiuritis 

 cyanopterus Linn, and Neomcsnis griseus Linn.) were greedily feasting on 

 l lie fallen eggs. — Charles T. Ramsden, Guantanamo, Cuba. 



American Merganser in South Carolina. — On January 2, 1011, I 

 secured the first authentic record for the American Merganser (Mergus 

 americanus) in this State. Mr. Arthur T. Wayne, in his ' Birds of 

 South Carolina,' refers this species to a hypothetical list, and declares that 

 to the best of his knowledge it has never been taken in the State. The 

 specimen here recorded was shot on Hack River near its junction with the 

 Cooper, after having partially swallowed a mullet ten inches in length. 

 The weight of the mullet in its throat destroyed its balance and made 

 continuous tlight impossible. The bird rose half a dozen times but with 

 each attempt at escape could gain only a few yards. 



Several years ago a Merganser was taken on the upper Cooper River 

 which I afterwards decided was the Meraus americanus, but as this speci- 

 men was not preserved I have been on the lookout during the past season 

 for another to prove the occurrence of the species in South Carolina. 



The specimen taken on Hack River is a fine adult male in full plumage 

 with the breast and under-parts a delicate peach-blossom color. The skin 

 IS now in the collection of the Charleston Museum (Spec. No. 72o8). — 

 Caspar Chisolm, Charleston, S. C. 



Additional Records of the European Widgeon (Mareca peneiope). — 



The last captures forthe Interior 1 recorded in ' The Auk ' (Vol. XX11, lOOo, 

 p. "200'). As a matter of convenient reference 1 now add to the list three 

 specimens. 



