322 General Notes. [£^ k 



stragglers reaching half a mile or more behind, all apparently feeding. 

 An attempt was made to intercept the main flock, but owing to the light 

 breeze only the stragglers were overtaken and but one secured. Over an 

 hour was spent in a fruitless attempt to again overtake them, but as they 

 were working directly to windward, and the breeze was very light, we 

 always passed about two gunshots behind the last. 



I was unable to discover what they were feeding on, as the specimen 

 secured contained nothing but a reddish oil. All were, however, appar- 

 ently picking up something from the surface of the water, which 

 appeared to be slightly agitated as by a school of very small fish, or a 

 light wind. Their flight was strongly suggestive of that of the Night- 

 hawk, with this exception, that when pausing to pick up or investigate 

 an object on the water, the wings were held higher and the wing beats 

 considerably increased for the moment. Only a few were seen to alight, 

 and then for an instant only. 



With the exception of a few birds which at a distance strongly 

 resembled Halocyptena microsoma, all appeared to be like the specimen 

 secured, which Mr. Ridgway has kindly compared with his type of 

 O. toivnsendi and pronounced to be of that species. From my observa- 

 tions I should say that Townsend's Petrel was of regular though perhaps 

 somewhat rare occurrence in deep water as far north as the Santa 

 Barbara Channel. — A. W. Anthony, San Diego, Cal. 



The Canada Goose and Osprey laying in the same Nest. — Mr. Charles 

 de B. Green, who spends a good deal of his spare time in making collec- 

 tions for the Museum, writes me from Kettle River, Okanagan District, 

 British Columbia, to the effect that while climbing to an Osprey's nest 

 he was surprised to find his actions resented by not only the Ospreys but 

 also by a pair of Canada Geese (Branla canadensis), the latter birds 

 making quite a fuss all the time Mr. Green was in the tree. On reaching 

 the nest he was still further surprised to find two Osprey eggs and three 

 of the Canada Goose. He took the two Osprey's eggs and two of the 

 Geese eggs. 



This was on the first of May. On the 12th of May he returned and 

 found the Osprey setting on the Goose egg; the geese were nowhere in 

 sight. Mr. Green took the remaining egg and sent the lot to the 

 Museum. 



I am aware that it is not unusual for the Canada Goose to nest in 

 trees but for two birds with such strangely opposite habits as the ones 

 above quoted to enter into partnership in the matter of rearing a family 

 is in my experience somewhat strange. 



I may mention in this connection that in the Okanagan District, 

 especially along the valleys of the Kettle and Similkameen Rivers, 

 Canada Geese are particularly noted for nesting in trees, and as these 

 valleys are subject to sudden inundation during early spring, this fact 

 may have something to do with it. — John Fannin, Provincial Museum, 

 Victoria, B. C. 



