VO iSo XI l General Notes. 73 



GENERAL NOTES. 



The Parasitic Jaeger at Bellingham Bay, Washington. — October 2S, 

 1893, I shot, on Bellingham Bay, a Parasitic Jaeger, Stercorarius para 

 siticus, which species, I believe, has not heretofore been reported from 

 this quarter of the Union, or at least from this State. The mounted skin 

 of this specimen is now in my possession. The phase of plumage which 

 it represents may, perhaps, be understood from the following description : 

 Above chiefly dusky, darker on primaries, rectrices and crown, the hind 

 neck paler, the sooty-brown feathers of interscapulars interspersed with 

 feathers which are black broadly tipped with white; black and white bars 

 extend around lower neck and across chest in a broad band; sides 

 coarsely barred with black and white; both under and upper tail coverts 

 contain plain dusky feathers mingled with feathers barred with black and 

 huffish white; belly, throat and chin white; sides of neck whitish finely 

 specked with dusky; small patch of pale buff at extremity of forehead; 

 tarsi and feet black; nasal shield leaden blue. Length, 20 inches; wing, 

 13; longest tail feathers, 8.50. When killed, the bird, with another of 

 presumably the same species, was vigorously chasing a Bonaparte's Gull. 

 Its companion, which escaped capture, appeared to be of a nearly uniform 

 sooty brown above and below, rather lighter than the upper parts of the 

 one taken. — John M. Edson, New Whatcom, Washington. 



Further News of the Gull 'Dick.' — As the migratory movement of a 

 pertain American Herring Gull (Larus arge?itatus smithsonianus) called 

 'Dick' (see Auk, Vol. IX, p. 227, and Vol. X, p. 76) for the year 1893 

 may be of interest to some of the readers of 'The Auk,' I quote from two 

 letters received, in answer to my enquiries, from Capt. Edward Fogarty of 

 the Brenton Reef Light-ship, stationed off Newport, Rhode Island. The 

 first of these was dated April 10, 1893, and states that the last seen of 

 'Dick' was on the evening of the 7th inst., just before sundown, at which 

 time the bird received its supper. It would seem that 'Dick' inclined to 

 have company during migration this season, for he brought another Gull 

 with him to jointly partake of the supper provided. When the ship's 

 lights were hoisted for the night both birds departed in company, and no 

 more was seen of them. The second letter was dated October 7, 1S93, 

 and informs me that on this date at one o'clock p. m., 'Dick' again appeared 

 at the light-ship for the first time since his departure. In appearance he 

 was ragged and torn and minus tail feathers. He had a voracious appetite, 

 eating as much as a hungry dog. It seemed as though he would never get 

 enough to satisfy him. His arrival in 1892 was on September 2S, at five 

 o'clock p. m. — Geo. H. Mackay, Nantucket, Mass. 



The Black Tern at Washington, D. C. — September iS, 1S93, I shot 

 thirteen Black Terns. Previous to this I am aware of only one recorded' 

 instance of its occurrence, one being found dead September 18, 1SS2. — 

 Edward J. Brown, Washington, D. C. 



