i888.] Gctieral Notes. 425 



On June 28 I collected another set of four eggs of the Black Swift. This 

 set was taken from the same nest as the former one, and presumably from 

 the same pair of birds. Incubation had commenced, the embryos having 

 just begun to form. The nest was composed of the same kind of materials 

 as before, with the addition of a small piece of the tinfoil used to cover 

 tobacco. The dimensions of the eggs are as follows: .96 X-67,.98X .71, 

 .99 X 69, i.oo X .71 inch. 



When this second set was taken the female had to be pushetl off the 

 nest in order that the eggs might be obtained. 



/;/ neither of these nests were the materials glued together xvilh saliva, 

 there being no trace of saliva about the nests. The nests were put to- 

 gether so loosely that they could not be preserved. Portions of the 

 materials of which they were composed were, however, collected. 



These birds are rather abundant here, and usually nest in the cornices 

 of buildings near the water front, in the business part of the city. I have 

 known of several nests which were built in galvanized iron cornices. It is, 

 however, usually' impossible to get at tnese places. I have tried for 

 several years to obtain specimens of the eggs, but till now have found it 

 impossible, although I have torn open three different cornices in hopes of 

 getting them. — M. H. Gormi.ey, Seattle, Washington Territory. 



Xantus's Becard {Platypsaris albiventris) in the Huachuca Mountains, 

 Southern Arizona. — On June 20, 1S88, I secured an adult male, in breed- 

 ing plumage, of this species in the pine forests of the Huachuca Mountains, 

 at an elevation of about 7500 feet, and seven miles north of the Mexican 

 boundary. (See Ridgway's ' Manual of North American Birds,' p. 325.) 

 I am certain there were a pair of these birds, as I lieard their very pe- 

 culiar notes in different places at the same time, but the locality being 

 so e.\tremely rough and broken I only secured the one above recorded. 

 Several times while collecting at high altitudes I have heard bird notes 

 that I thought were these, but they were always on almost inaccessible 

 mountain sides. Their note reminds one of the song of Stephens's Vireo 

 {Vireo hiittoni stephensi),hu\. is not so long continued, and is harsher. 

 From observing the actions of the bird I killed, I am sure its mate was 

 in the vicinity-, and probably nesting, although I have since carefully 

 searched the place without success. This species will doubtless be found 

 breeding in Arizona, as was Trogon atnbiguus. — Will. W. Price, 

 Riverside, Cala. 



Coccothraustes vespertina in Nebraska. — On March 12, 1886, a flock of 

 eight Evening Grosbeaks appeared in this locality, and these are the only 

 ones that have been observed by myself, or by anyone so far as I know. 



I first observed them about 9 a. m. They were then feeding on the 

 samarse of the box elders, and were very easy to approach. The flock 

 consisted of seven females and but one male. I secured the male and one 

 female. The contents of both their stomachs consisted entirely of box 



