THE BIRDS OF SPRINGFIELD AND VICINITY. 41 



Species not included in the list for reason of insufficient evidence, 

 but of likely occurrence here. 



47. I/arus marinus I/inn. GREAT BLACK-BACKED 

 GULL. I think I have seen representatives of this species on 

 the Connecticut river here, but know of none being captured. 



58. I/arus atricilla I, inn. LAUGHING GULL. A num- 

 ber of years ago I shot a gull which I supposed was one of this 

 kind, but the skin was not preserved, and now having some 

 doubts as to its being a correct identification, I leave it off the 

 list. 



77. Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis (Gmel.)- 



BLACK TERN. After a severe gale the 28th of August, 1893, 

 a large flock of terns, answering the description of this kind, 

 appeared near the Connecticut river in L/ongmeadow. About 

 the same time black terns were observed in two places in Con- 

 necticut. (See The Auk. Vol. u, page 74.) 



1 60. Somateria dresseri Sharpe. AMERICAN EIDER. 

 A few years ago I observed on the Connecticut river in Long- 

 meadow, in company with a flock of anas obscura, a duck nearly 

 white, and to all appearances an eider ; it was about one hun- 

 dred yards from me, and I watched it through field glasses for 

 a long time. It finally separated from the black ducks and 

 then disappeared. 



Among the other species that are probably occasionally rep- 

 resented here may be mentioned kittiwake, canvas-back, 

 Ipswich sparrow, Nelson sparrow and Philadelphia vireo. 



Introduced Species. 



Coturnix coturnix. EUROPEAN QUAIL. A little more 

 than twenty years ago, for two or three successive years many 

 of these birds were liberated in the vicinity of Springfield. I 

 hardly think any bred here, although statements to the con- 

 trary appeared in the newspapers of that day ; some were kept 



