Vo^XXVIj General Notes. 199 



Sayornis phoebe. Phcebe. Saw one in Stoughton on Oct. 31, 1908. 



Lanivireo solitarius solitarius. Solitary Vireo. Saw a singing bird 

 at fairly close range on April 11, 1908, in Stoughton. Saw another singing 

 bird in Sharon on October 12, 1907. 



Compsothlypis americana usneae. Northern Parula Warbler. Saw 

 one in Stoughton on April 25, 1908, the throat of which lacked the cross- 

 band. 



Dendroica pensylvanica. Chestnut-sided Warbler. Saw a male 

 at very close range on April 28, 1908, in Stoughton. 



Dendroica blackburniae. Blackburnian Warbler. Saw an elegant 

 male in Sharon on May 31, 1907. — Sidney F. Blake, Stoughton, Mass. 



Massachusetts Bird Notes. — Florida caerulea. An immature male in 

 the white plumage was shot in Stoughton, Mass., by a Mr. Berry, Aug. 22, 

 1908. The bird was mounted by E. R. Adams of Canton, to whom I am 

 indebted for the record, and is now in the collection of F. H. Kennard. 



Centurus carolinus. In a collection of birds purchased some time 6ince 

 I found one of this species labelled " 9 , Hull, Mass., 1882, W. B. R." 

 (Richardson). The bird is not however a female but evidently a young 

 male. 



Empidonax trailli alnorum. Early in the morning of June 8, 190-4, I 

 found an Alder Flycatcher singing in a clearing by the roadside within a 

 mile of my home in Ponkapog. Frequent visits convinced me that the 

 bird was breeding, but it was not until the 24th that I found and took the 

 nest with 4 eggs. 



The clearing was originally a swampy tract of pine, white cedars and red 

 maple but was chopped over in the winter of 1901-02, resulting in a sprout 

 growth of maples combined with such shrubs as Comus paniculata, Alnus 

 incana, Rhus venenata, Azalea viscosum, etc.; the ground being still damp 

 enough to support a growth of sphagnum and skunk cabbage. 



The nest was well within the bushy area, 2\ feet up in an Azalea viscosum 

 bush, of characteristic composition — dead grass with long loose ends 

 hanging down. 



Several times since I have seen Alder Flycatchers in both Canton and 

 Norwood during the breeding season but have not taken the necessary time 

 to find more nests. 



Sitta canadensis. From 1900 to 1904 I spent considerable time in a 

 part of Canton that seemed very favorable for birds of the Canadian Fauna. 

 Here was a 50-acre tract of large white pines with adjoining swamp of 

 white cedar and red maple, and considerable large deciduous growth. 

 Numerous plants and shrubs of a northern character grew throughout the 

 area, and I found breeding there such birds as the Barred Owl, Broad- 

 winged Hawk, Hairy Woodpecker, Solitary Vireo, Canadian Warbler, and 

 Brown Creeper. 



April 29, 1900, I first saw the Red-breasted Nuthatch here and it seems 

 quite probable that they were breeding; however on May 18, 1902, Mr. 



