«S88.] General Notes. 203 



from slate to lilac-gray in tint, and predominate in the larger specimen. 

 In the smaller and darker one, both styles of markings are about equally 

 distributed. The two kinds of spots vary considerably' in size and shape. 

 — Chas. E. Bendire, Washington^ D. C. 



The Old-squaw {Clangitla hyemalis) in South Carolina. — On the 30th of 

 December, 1SS7, I was informed by my friend, Mr. Henry Hunter, that he 

 had shot a pair of 'Long-tailed' Ducks, in Charleston Harbor, and, in fact, 

 within a few rods of the Sea Wall of the Battery. I at once went with him 

 to his house to see the birds, but to my dismay, I found that the cook had 

 been ahead of me, and the picked bodies and severed heads were gravely 

 spread befdre me. From the heads I identified the mortal remains as, 

 beyond a doubt, those of Clangula /lyemalis. Upon mj' representing to Mr. 

 Hunter the rarity of the bird so far to the south, he promised to keep a 

 close watch and try and procure another, and on the i6th of January, 1SS7, 

 sent me word that he had a specimen for me. This, like the former, was 

 shot within a hundred yards of the city, and during a mild spell ct 

 weather, though it had been quite cold. The Duck was a female and 

 lacked the lengthened tail-feathers. It was not fat, but was in fair winter 

 plumage, and is the only Duck whose head I have been able to draw- 

 through the skin of the neck. The specimen is now in my collection. On 

 January 20, Mr. Hunter wounded a male 'Old Wife' (a Incus a non liicen- 

 do), which he said had a very long tail. The bird dove, and owing to the 

 extreme roughness of the water he was unable to see anything more of 

 it. There had been three of them swimming together. The same gentle- 

 man informs me that a few winters ago, in about 18S3, his brother stood 

 in his yard, which faces the water, and shot a specimen of Clangula hye- 

 malis that was feeding in the shallow water near by. 



The Ducks in Charleston Harbor during the winter come very close to 

 the Sea Wall around the Battery, and I have frequently seen the Lesser 

 Black-head, the Buflfle-head, the Grebe, and once a fine male Golden-Eye, 

 so close that I could distinguish the iris, or in military parlance "see the 

 whites of their eyes." 



I think that this will prove the most southern record of C. /lyonalis, 

 as yet; at least I can find none other so far south. — Ellison A. Smythe, 

 Jr., Charleston, S. C. 



Surf Scoter {Oidemia ferspicillata) in Kansas. — I would like to 

 record the first appearance in this State, of the Surf Scoter {Oidemia 

 persficillata^. The specimen was shot by myself above the dam across 

 the Kansas River at Lawrence, Kansas, Oct. 29, 18S7. The bird was not 

 in company with any other Ducks. It is a young male, with the charac- 

 teristic large bill with two round, horny plates on the side near the base. 

 The two loral and auricular white patches are well defined ; below dusky 

 black; rest of plumage black or nearly so. The bird is mounted and in 

 my collection. The following are the measurements: Length, 18.88; 

 extent of wings, 32.60; wing, 9.25 ; tail, 2.98; tarsus, 1.81 ; middle toe and 

 claw, 2.96; chord of culmen, 1.60; bill along gape, 2. 38. — A. L. Ben- 

 nett, Lawrence, Kan. 



