386 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



BRAZILIAN TREE-DUCK (Dendrocygna viduata) 

 A specimen of this South American duck was killed on the 

 Hackensack Meadows early in October, 1912 and sent to the 

 taxidermist, Rowland, of New York, for preservation, where it 

 was identified by George Bird Grinnell. The bird was not at 

 all shy, and allowed itself to be shot, while sitting on a drift 

 log. Dr. Grinnell, in recording the occurrence, did not seem 

 to consider it of any great value. Certainly there is too 

 much chance of its being an escape from some aviary to take 

 it seriously as a genuine accidental occurrence of a wild bird. 



HUTCHIN'S GOOSE (Branta canadensis hutchinsi) 

 This small western subspecies of the Canada Goose was 

 regarded by Giraud as not uncommon in his day at the eastern 

 extremity of Long Island. There are no records since, and no 

 specimens from Long Island are in existence. The great 

 variation in size of the Canada Goose makes sight records of 

 this subspecies of little value, as a Goose apparently half a 

 foot shorter than others in the same flock might perfectly well 

 be a Canada Goose, unless its tail feathers were counted. 

 Even if a bird in the flesh were in the hand, it would take an 

 expert ornithologist to make a competent determination. 

 Until a critically determined specimen is available, the occur- 

 rence of this race on Long Island is purely hypothetical, and 

 under the circumstances Giraud's evidence cannot be re- 

 garded as positive. 



EUROPEAN CURLEW (Numenius arquatus] 

 The record of a specimen said to have been taken on Long 

 Island in 1853 is regarded by the American Ornithologists' 

 Union Committee, as subject to some doubt. Its occurrence, 

 therefore, in our area or in New York State is purely hypo- 

 thetical. 



