I lO General Notes. [January 



easily be raised, and become perfectly tame. The breeding season is a 

 long one, as I had a very young bird in the downy stage sent me alive on 

 September 17. Its appearance is as follows : Upperparts glossy black, the 

 lower parts sooty, the throat, cheeks, and top of head with silvery white 

 hairs. The base of bill is yellowish, the lower mandible, and part of upper 

 jet blackvvith a white spot, which rises to a point on the tip of upper man- 

 dible ;this white spot resembles 'white lead.' The wings are also covered 

 with silvery hairs. — Arthur T. Wayne, Charleston^ S. C. 



Unexpected Occurrence of Certain Shore Birds in Texas in Midsummer 

 and in Breeding Plumage.— 



Macrorhamphus griseus. Dowitcher. — June n, two adults, $ and 

 $, in full breeding plumage, and two immature birds in the act of 

 moulting or changing tVom winter to summer dress. 



Macropalama himantopus. Stilt Sandpiper. — ^^fuly 3, one adult 

 female in breeding plumage. 



Tringa canutus. Knot.— July i, $ ; July 3, $ ; July 10, 5 ; all adults 

 in full breeding plumage. 



Tetanus melanoleucus. Greater Yellow-legs.— June 13, $ ; July 

 3, $ ; both adults in full breeding plumage. 



Charadrius squatarola. Black-bellied Plover. — ^July i, one adult 

 male in nearly full breeding dress. On May 12, 1SS2, I took at same 

 place an adult male in full breeding plumage. 



All of the above were taken at Corpus Christi, Texas, in 18S7, by my 

 collector. yEgialitis nivosa. Snowy Plover, breeds there and is not 

 uncommon; large series of adults and young were secured. Five males, 

 six females, and one immature bird changing to breeding plumage, of 

 Arenaria interpres, Turnstone, were sent me, and any number could be 

 taken in July. The adults were in as fine dress as if taken in Labrador. 

 This confirms the observations of Dr. J. C. Merrill and myself during the 

 last ten years. No eggs were secured, but that the bird breeds there can 

 hardly admit of a doubt. — Geo. B. Sennett, Am. Mtis. Nat. Hist., Neiv 

 York City. 



The European Kestrel in Massachusetts. — A female example of the 

 European Kestrel {^Falco tinnuncnliis Linn.) was shot at Strawberry Hill, 

 near Nantucket, Mass. on Sept. 29, 1SS7. The bird was killed by a man 

 who was hunting for Plover at the time, and was sold with other birds to 

 Mr. C. I. Goodale, 93 Sudbury St., Boston, where I had the pleasure of 

 examining the specimen in the flesh shortly after it was killed. This is, I 

 believe, the first record of its occurrence in North America. The skin is 

 now in my cabinet. — Charles B. Cory, Boston., Mass. 



Ulula cinerea in Steuben, Co., New York. — I am pleased to report the 

 occurrence in this locality of the Great Gray Owl; a female in fine plu- 

 mage was shot some five or six miles southwest of this village on the 

 lotli of last Febiuarv by a f.irmer who claimed it was trving to catch his 



