2oS General Nofcs. [April 



The specimens of D. ocellata, so determined by von Pelzeln, before me 

 are marked male and female, and differ from each other in the general 

 smaller dimensions and shorter bill of the female. These examples can- 

 not be separated from D. weddelli Lafres., with the types of which 1 have 

 compared them. 



If therefore these specimens from von Pelzeln have been compared with 

 Spix's type and found identical, then Lafresnaye's species must become a 

 synonym of D. ocellata, but if not, then I am still in doubt as to what 

 D. ocellata really is. If Spix's type is still in existence, this point could 

 be easily settled by the Continental ornithologists. 



A single example of £>■ sfiixi. and which agrees fairly well with Spix's 

 description and figure, shows that this species is very nearly related to D. 

 gutta toides Lafres. , but differs in much more slender bill, generally smaller 

 dimensions, and different coloration on the back and under parts, with, 

 however, the same character of spots. It may be described as follows : 

 Top of head and back of neck brownish black, each feather with a central, 

 pale buff, tear-shaped spot, more elongated on the neck. Back, yellow- 

 olivaceous-brown with broad, central, buff stripes bordered with black. 

 Rump and upper tail-coverts dark cinnamon. Throat pale buff, each 

 feather indistinctly margined with pale brown. Entire under parts gray- 

 ish-olive-brown, each feather with a broad, central, buff streak, margined 

 with black, some of these streaks on upper part of breast being a bright 

 buff. Wings and tail dark cinnamon. Bill long and slender, dark 

 brown, paler at the tip. Feet horn brown. Length, Sj{- in.; wing, 3 

 '\ in. ; tail, 3! in. : bill, i| in. Specimen described No. 48,149, collection 

 American Museum of Natural History ex Para (Natterer). 



In my key of the species D. spixi will have to be removed from the 

 position given it and placed after D. guttatoides as "C. Bill long, slen- 

 der, longer than head. Throat and stripes on breast buff." 



D. elegans Pelz. is a very distinct species, and well characterized by the 

 description epioted from the Orn. Bras. Its position in the key is quite 

 correct. — D. G. Elliot, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., New Tork City. 



The Purple Grackle at Charleston, South Carolina. — Mr. Wayne has at 

 length taken true ^. quiscula near Charleston. The specimen, which 

 he sends me for examination, is a female in high plumage. I cannot see 

 that it differs at all from several of the females in my collection from the 

 Middle States. It was shot by Mr. Wayne, Nov. 30, 18S9, at Pinopolis, a 

 ew miles from the City proper. — William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass. 



Quiscalus quiscula aeneus Killing and Catching Goldfish. — During the 

 past summer, while noting the condition of my goldfish pond I frequently 

 found many bodies of these fishes floating, bearing evidence of some sharp 

 instrument having been used to effect their death: deep incisions, holes, 

 and grooves in their heads and backs, etc. Carefully killing every King- 

 fisher and all the Herons, Bitterns being wholly absent, I became very 

 much puzzled at the constant loss of life among these pretty fish of which 



