40 General Notes. 



1876. Through the kindness of Mr. Arthur Smith of Brookline, to whom 

 it was originally sent in the flesh, this bird has recently come into my pos- 

 Bession. It is a young male in nearly perfect autumnal dress, and, though 

 not typically melanistic, it still inclines strongly towards that condition. 

 — William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass. 



Breeding of the Hooded Merganser {Mergus cucuUatus) in Flor- 

 ida. — In view of the fact that we have no published record of the breed- 

 ing of this species in the Southern States, I was much surprised to find 

 that it does breed in Florida, at least occasionally, and I thinJc regularly. 



While descending the St. John's Eiver by steamer on March 28, 1877, 

 I saw, near Blue Spring, a female Hooded Merganser, accompanied by a 

 large brood of young, which were perhaps a week old. As the boat 

 rounded a sharp bend of the river the little family, taken by surprise, was 

 nearly run over, but after the first moment of paralyzed inaction, the 

 mother flew heavily and reluctantly off, while the ducklings scattered in 

 all directions, and escaped by diving. As I was standing in the steamer's 

 bows at the time, there was no possibility of mistaking the identity of the 

 species, for when first seen the whole brood was within ten yards of me, 

 80 near, in fact, that I could distinctly see the color of the parent's irides. 



On the Wekiva River, about a week previously, I saw many Mergansers 

 of this species, and although it did not then occur to me that they might 

 be breeding, I now recall many circumstances that induce me to consider 

 this not improbable. While at Pilatka, Fla., Mr. J. H. Fry showed me 

 a number of specimens in full breeding plumage, stating that in his 

 opinion the birds nested in the vicinity of that place. On the Wekiva 

 the Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) was the only other species of Anatidce ob- 

 served. March 19 and 20, I saw several broods of young a few days old, 

 accompanying their mothers. As the eggs of this duck are rarely or 

 never laid in New^ England before May, and oftener, I think, especially 

 in the more Northern States, not until June, this latter fact may be not 

 devoid of interest. — William Brewster, Gamhridge, Mass. 



Breeding op the Shore Lark in Western New York. — The 

 Shore Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is common during October, Novem- 

 ber, the latter part of February, and March, and occasionally a speci- 

 men is seen in April, but on May 29, 1876, I observed a bird of this 

 species, with a worm in its bill, fly into a meadow, and on June 111 found 

 an old bird accompanied by three young ones, in a highway adjoining. 

 The young were just able to fly. A flock, mostly composed of young 

 birds, was seen on some ploughed land, September 1, 1876. I do not 

 know of a previous instance of this bird's nesting in this State. — John 

 M. Howey, Canandaigua, N. Y. 



The Northern Phalarope in North Carolina. — Dr. George H. 

 Moran sends me a specimen of Lobipes hyperboreus which was lately shot 

 on the Catawba River, near Morgantown, N. C. The capture is interesting 



