214 General Notes. [£[}£., 



in this connection, which I felt that I ought to offer by way of explanation. 

 — A. C. Bent, Taunton, Mass. 



The Pigeon Hawk in Wayne Co., Michigan. — Mr. Herbert Spicer 

 secured a Pigeon Hawk (Falco columbarius) on P. C. 671, Ecorse Township, 

 Sept. 15, 1906. As an illustration of how easily a rare bird can be dis- 

 regarded, this hawk was perched on the dead limb of a solitary hickory 

 tree in the center of a buckwheat field and was indulging in a sun bath 

 with wings and tail partly spread. We were passing on a road about 200 

 yards away. Mr. Spicer thought it a Sharp-shinned Hawk, but I insisted 

 it did not have tail enough and was a female Sparrow Hawk. He was 

 not satisfied; so I waited while he stalked the bird and secured it. I 

 prepared it for my collection and found it a female with stomach empty. 

 I see a hawk or two every year that I consider of this species but do not 

 care to record them as such. The only other positive record is a female 

 secured by me September 13, 1890, in Ecorse Township. The bird was 

 flying across the Detroit River and when first seen was on the Canadian 

 side. — J. Claire Wood, Detroit, Mich. 



The Goshawk in Montgomery Co., Virginia. — A week of cold weather 

 early in November last, with the mercury down to 22°, culminated in a 

 blow, and a six-inch snow. During this snowstorm, a Goshawk (Accipi- 

 ter atricapillus) was shot near Blacksburg and sent in to the College to 

 me on Nov. 19, 1906. It was an adult female, in fine blue plumage, a 

 trifle under size, and was quite fat. It is now No. 1362 of my collection. 

 The Goshawk has been recorded from Virginia before, though I know of 

 no very definite record as to time and locality. Dr. Rives, in his 'Cata- 

 logue of the Birds of Virginia,' merely says, "Very rare winter visitor," 

 and quotes Coues and Prentiss as to Washington, D. C, occurrences of 

 the species. This record, therefore, may be of some interest. 



Every winter for the past sixteen years, I have looked for Crossbills 

 to come here; it was therefore with some satisfaction that on the 16th of 

 January, 1907, I heard and saw a solitary male Loxia curvirostra minor, 

 on a small spruce, about twenty feet high, on the campus. It was entirely 

 alone, was feeding on the cones, and uttering its call, and allowed me to 

 walk up to the tree and all around it, to get a good look at it, and I left 

 it there feeding when I was satisfied of the identification. I thought it 

 unnecessary to kill it merely for the record, particularly as the bird ought 

 to be found here every winter. I also have a large series from Yemassee, 

 South Carolina, in my collection. — Ellis n A. Smyth, Jr., Blacksburg, Va. 



The Barn Owl in Massachusetts. — A Barn Owl (Strix pratincola) 

 was taken at Weston, Mass., Nov. 14, 1906, by Mr. Charles Merriam. 

 The specimen is now in my collection. — John E. Thayer, Lancaster, 

 Mass. 



