SOME SCIENTIFIC RESUETS 121 



which went with his collection to the New Brunswick 

 government : 



Mocking Bird, Common Crow, 



Bobolink, Euifed Grouse (2), 



Snow Birds (2), Butter Ball, 



Barn Swallow, Robins (1 pair). 



Red-wing Blackbird, Baltimore Oriole, 



Purple Finch, Bank Swallow, 



Song Sparrow, Rail, 



Cow Bunting, Wilson's Snipe (2) , 



Savannah Sparrow, Woodcock, 



Chipping Sparrow, Cedar Bird, 



Little Black-head Duck, Red-tail Hawk. 



In the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, 

 Vol. III., page 47, January, 1878, appears the following 

 note on the melanism of the Robin Turdus migratorius 

 by Elliott Coues, which is very interesting : 



A case of melanism of Turdus migratorius, much less frequent 

 (except in Falconidae) than leucisra, comes to my knowledge 

 through the attention of Mr. G. A. Boardman, who desires me to 

 make a note of it for the Bulletin. The young Robin, "as black 

 as a Grackle," is still living in Mr. Boardman's possession. About 

 two rnonths ago this ornithologist heard of a nest of black Robins 

 being taken at St. John, and wrote to the owner or collector about 

 it. The person, however, lost his life in the great fire which 

 occurred there, and Mr. Boardman, not liking to trouble the 

 family by writing under such circumstances, went to St. John and 

 inquired about the black Robins. The stoiy proved true, and one 

 of the birds was purchased. " When I first got the bird, " writes 

 Mr. Boardman." he was in pretty good j)lumage, but his feathers 

 are now half out, and I am hoping that he will not disappoint me 

 by coming out red. Most of the feathers on his head and neck 

 are new, I think, and jet black. His tail is now gone, but that was 

 pure black too. I see no signs of the normal plumage." Mr. 

 Boardman writes me later, under date of September 23, that he 

 has been much interested in watching the moult of the black 



