VOl 1907 IV ] General Notes. 339 



The Little Blue Heron annually ascends the Delaware River in summer 

 after the nesting season in Virginia and other southern States, often as 

 far as Trenton, but it is of extremely rare occurrence in the spring, as al- 

 ready indicated, so much so, indeed, that I have been unable to find any 

 spring record of it in the Delaware Valley during recent years. The bird 

 seen by me was evidently a straggler from its breeding ground in the 

 South, to which it probably went afterwards, as it was not seen again. — 

 Richard F. Miller, Philadelphia, Pa. 



A Woodcock Nesting in St. Louis, Missouri. — On April 16, 1907, a 

 workman on the grounds of Washington University, St. Louis, told me 

 he had found the nest of a "Penguin." He had also observed the bird 

 at close range, having lifted it off the nest. I examined the nest and 

 eggshells (for the birds had hatched and left the nest by that date) and 

 found them to be those of a Woodcock. The workman also confessed 

 that I was right when shown a mounted specimen. The remarkable 

 feature of this nest was that it was within fifty yards of a large dormitory 

 in process of construction and in a much frequented part of the grounds. 

 The nest was placed in a large patch of dried weeds and grasses. 



Dr. Otto Widmann informs me that he started a Woodcock from his 

 back-yard in a thickly settled portion of the city at noon on May 17th. 

 Woodcock have been reported also from at least one other locality within 

 the city limits. — ■ Roger N. Baldwin, St. Louis, Mo. 



The Stilt Sandpiper in Massachusetts. — On August 9, 1906, while gunning 

 in Chatham, Mass., I shot a Stilt Sandpiper (Micropalama himantopus). 

 It was the only one we saw, and the local gunners said it was the first one 

 that had been seen there for several years. — Chauncey C. Nash, Boston, 

 Mass. 



The White-rumped Sandpiper in Michigan. — In 'The Auk,' XXIV, p. 

 140, Messrs. Swales and Taverner practically question my veracity regard- 

 ing the White-rumped Sandpiper near Port Austin, Huron County, Michi- 

 gan. Twice, during the last two years, I discussed this sandpiper with 

 Mr. Taverner and on both occasions stated that I could see no reason why 

 we should not meet with it here in Wayne County, as I found it of regular 

 occurrence near Port Austin, and I predicted that some day we would 

 secure specimens here. In view of the fact that this sandpiper was con- 

 sidered very rare in the State, it seems impossible that Mr Taverner could 

 have forgotten the above conversations, yet he says: "Mr. Wood's state- 

 ment that this species is common in eastern Michigan we received with a 

 good deal of surprise." Later, when my prediction came true, and both 

 Mr. Taverner and myself took specimens, it seems to me that he might 

 have accepted the fulfilment of my prognostication as a verification of my 

 Port Austin observations. I mentioned the results of my Port Austin 

 trips to Mr. Swales and clearly recollect speaking of this sandpiper. 



