580 General Xotes. [^! t k 



At one time all the holes had frozen over, and the grain was placed on the 

 hare iee. the ducks Coming in from the lake and lighting on the iee to feed. 

 This was at a distance of about a quarter oi a mile from the open water 

 in the lake, (hi February 21, being temporarily out of wheat, cracked 

 corn was tried, but the ducks apparently did not relish it, and did not 

 clean it up, as they did the wheat. During a period from February 12 to 

 hi, Mr. DeVille estimated the number of ducks was at least ten thousand. 

 They gradually scattered with the coming of milder weather, but. there 

 were several thousand still present on March IS. 



The ducks were about seventy-five per cent BluebillSj or Scaups, the 

 remainder being about evenly divided between Canvasbacks and Red- 

 heads, with a few Whistlers. 



(hi March 13 when the writer visited the bay he counted in an open 

 plaee between the outlet of the bay and Sand Point, about five hundred 

 Bluebills, one hundred Redheads, a few Canvasbacks. about a dozen 

 Mallard, three or four Black Ducks and several Hollxvll's and Horned 

 Grebes. At this time the dueks were apparently able to take care oi them- 

 selves, were feeding in the usual manner, and did not come for the grain. 



Mr. DeVille stated that the dueks were in such poor condition, that he 

 had seen many with iee frozen to their feathers, the wing feathers being 

 sometimes frozen together. Many also had balls oi iee over the bill, often 

 extending to the eyes. Fourteen dueks were found dead, eleven Rluehills, 

 one Canvasback and two Redheads, (hie Bluebill drake found in full 

 plumage weighed one pound and three ounces. 



Great credit must be given to both Mr. DeVille. who is a game proteetor 

 of a type we need more oi. and the New York State Conservation Com- 

 mission, for their prompt action in this matter, for there is no doubt that 

 if they had not acted in time, thousands of dueks would have died of starva- 

 tion. — H. E. Gordon, Rochester, X. Y. 



Early Occurrence of Rails in Massachusetts. — On August 26, 1013, 

 a Yellow Rail (Coharnicops noreboracensis ] was taken in l.ongmeadow near 

 Springfield, Mass.. and on the 22d. of the same month, a King Rail. Ralhis 

 elegant, was captured in the same town. 



These are the earliest autumnal dates recorded for the appearance of 

 either oi these species of birds iu this part of the Connecticut Valley, 

 although I believe that both kinds are more often represented here than 

 is generally supposed, and it is possible that they breed here. 



In Massachusetts, under a very unwise state statute purporting to be for 

 the protection oi certain kinds of so-called marsh birds, the open season for 

 Rallidse begins as early as August 1. and on that day in l.ongmeadow. 

 a sportsman caught a young Virginia Rail that was still in the downy state, 

 and probably not more than ten days old. — ROBERT O. Morris, Spring- 

 field, Mass. ' 



Woodcock in Ohio Co., West Virginia. — The first authentic record of 

 the occurrence of the Woodcock {Philohela minor) in Ohio County. West 



