258 General Notes. \J£fc 



Early August, 3, Chatham (two different days). 



Aug. 15, flock of 10 lit off blind out of range. Were watched for some 



time with glasses. 



Aug. 26, 2, Chatham. 



Last week of August, 4 (2 more seen), Chatham (three different days). 



Last week of August, 1, Plymouth. 



Sept. 1, 1, Chatham. 



Sept. 2, 1, Plymouth. 



Sept. 5, 4, Chatham (flock of 30-35 birds). 



Sept. 5, 1, West Dennis. 



Sept. 6, 1, Yarmouthport. 



Sept. 12, 2, Chatham. 



Sept. 13, 1, East Sandwich. 



Sept. 22, 1, Chatham. 



Sept. 24, 1, Chatham. 



Oct. 19, 1, Welfleet ) f , • ^ ■ , . t> . 



^ ' ' y found in Guincy market, Boston. 



Oct. 22, 1, Welfleet ) 



In most cases they were lone birds and, contrary to their habits, were 

 tame and decoyed readily. However, on September 5, during a heavy 

 easterly storm with a downpour of rain, a flock of 30-35 birds went over 

 our stand at Chatham. Instead of alighting, as we supposed they would 

 do, for they appeared very much exhausted, they continued their slow 

 flight and disappeared going due south in the heaviest part of the storm. 

 However, a man a short way below us shot three of these birds as we 

 watched them go over him high up, and later we found someone else above 

 us had shot one from the same flock only a minute or two earlier. One of 

 these men estimated that the flock contained over 40 birds, so my figures 

 may be too low or else, after he fired the birds may have separated so that 

 we might have seen only part of the original flock. 



I believe Hudsonian Godwit are now rarely seen on the Atlantic coast in 

 such numbers. In August, 1907, a similar flock was seen at Ipswich, out 

 of which several birds were shot, and the gunners there considered such a 

 flock of rare occurrence. Another gunner at Chatham reported having 

 seen a flock of from 50-75 large birds, which from his description probably 

 were Godwit, as he is well acquainted with all the other common shore 

 birds. On inquiring of the M. Abbot Frazar Co., I found but two specimens 

 in their shop being mounted. Mr. F. A. Webster of Hyde Park wrote me 

 that but one bird had been sent to him. He said someone reported having 

 seen a flock of birds at Winthrop, evidently Godwit, and that someone else 

 had shot two which had been eaten. These are the only reports I was able 

 to collect besides the actual records of those shot. Mr. T. C. Wilson of 

 Ipswich writes that he had shot none and to his knowledge none had been 

 seen there this year. Of the specimens I saw the majority were adult 

 birds with distinct traces of their nuptial plumage. Unquestionably there 

 was an unusually large flight of these birds during the early fall. — 

 S. Prescott Fay, Boston, Mass. 



