iSSS.J DuTCHER OH Lono- Island Birds. 



179 



so infrequent that I supply him with small blank books in which he makes 

 almost daily records of the birds noted ; also the weather and temperature. 

 These books are sent to me January and July first. In the report for the 

 first half of 1886, Mr. Field noted, January 23 : "Observed some small Snipe 

 feeding on the rocks, — temp. 20°." The next day he notes: "The little 

 Snipe still here, while it is snowing hard, — temp. S°." None were seen 

 again until January 30, when he writes : "One little Snipe made its appear- 

 ance again to-day, — temp. 32°." February i, another one joined the 

 solitary individual noted January 30. This pair remainded until the loth 

 of February, "feeding on the rocks," although the temperature on the 4th 

 was — 2". On the 17th they returned, remaining one day and then dis- 

 appeared until February 23. They again wandered oft", returning March 3, 

 and remaining three days. None were seen again until March 25, when 

 one returned to say to Mr. Field that the temperature of 38° was entirely 

 too tropical, and that he wished to say for himself and his mates, farewell, 

 as they were about to start for a more frigid clime. The journey evidently 

 was commenced, as none were again seen. 



Mr. A. H. Helme, while at Montauk Point in December, 1SS6, saw three 

 individuals of this species and secured two of them, a male and female. 

 The first one secured was shot about two miles west of the Point, and the 

 second was killed near Fort Pond, about four miles from the Point. Feb- 

 ruary 10, 1887, a flock of three made their appearance at Little Gull Island, 

 and Mr. Field secured them all and sent them to me in the flesh. No 

 others visited either Little Gull Island or Montauk Point, during the 

 winter of 1S86-87. November i, 18S7, a solitary individual was shot at 

 Montauk Point, by Capt. Scott, who sent it to me, together with a Sander- 

 ling {Calidris aretiaria), which was shot from a flock of twenty at the 

 same place and on the same day. 



15. Cathartes aura. Turkey Vulture. — Since making my previous 

 record* on this species I have secured several others through the kindness 

 of Mr. Alfred Marshall, an Associate Member of the Union. The records 

 were all made at the extreme southwestern portion of the Island, Mr. 

 Marshall residing in Flatbush, Kings Co. The following is a copy of his 

 notes: "September 5, 1877, Mr. Johnston says, 'The flagman on the 

 Manhattan Beach R. R., at the Parkville crossing, saw a large bird flying 

 about six feet from the ground, and as it flew by succeeded in stunning it 

 with a stone. He afterward saw it and found it to be a Turkey Vulture in 

 splendid condition.' June 9, 1885, Mr. Johnston also saw two flying over 

 his residence at Parkville, and again on August 26, of the same year, he 

 saw another. July 19, 1886, he saw still another, being pursued by a Crow. 

 The Vulture mounted to a great height, the Crow following. In May, 

 18S5, I saw one, and May 16, the following year, I saw another. It was 

 sitting on the top of a dead tree near Ocean Avenue, Greenfield, Kings 

 Co. Two or three wagons drove by while I was watching the bird, but it 

 did not fly, so I crept under the tree to get a good view of it. After watch- 



*Auk, i886. Vol.III,p.439. 



