General Notes. 47 



Colaptes auratus. — On October 4, 1879, I took, at Fort Hamilton, a 

 remarkable Golden-winged Woodpecker. It strongly evinces its affinity 

 to C. mexicanus. Its black mustaches are sprinkled witb red feathers. 

 These are most plentiful along the upper edge, and at the lower end of 

 the black cheek patch. The back is more strongly tinged with olive, is of 

 a darker shade, and the black bars are much narrower than in ordinary 

 individuals of C. auratus. The bird was a male. — De L. Eerier, Foj-t 

 Hamillon, Loiig Islaiid, N. Y. 



The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Massachusetts. — Mr. C. J. 

 Maynard informs me of a fourth specimen for Massachusetts of the Gnat- 

 catcher (Polioptila ccerulea), which was taken at Magnolia, Mass., August 

 27, 1879, by Mr. Outram Bangs. The bird was a young female, and was 

 probably blown north of its usual range by a severe gale, which occurred a 

 few days previous to its capture. — Ruthven Deane, Cambridge, Mass. 



Nest and Eggs of Parus montanus. — Although not entirely un- 

 known, the eggs of this species have been so rarely met with and identified 

 that a brief mention of a fine set that has recently come into my posses- 

 sion may not be without interest. This set was taken by Mr. Charles A. 

 Allen in the mountains of Placer County, California, June 11, 1879. The 

 nest had been constructed in an old hole of a Picus albolarvatus in a de- 

 caying pine stump. The opening was about seven feet from the ground, 

 extended four inches horizontally, and was over twelve inches in depth. 

 The female could not be induced to leave the nest, even after the whole 

 side of the stump had been cut away with an axe. She had finally to 

 be taken from her eggs by the hand, arid tossed into the air, before they 

 could be uncovered. After they had been taken, both the male and the 

 female returned to the hole, and insisted upon remaining thei'e even after 

 the last vestige of the nest had been removed. 



The eggs are seven in number, and range in measurement from .64 of an 

 inch by .50, to .63 by .49. They are of a rounded oval shape, much more 

 pointed at one end, and six of the seven are of a pure unspotted chalky 

 white. They areuntinged with any shade of green, and bear no similitude 

 to a recent illustration purporting to be this egg. The seventh egg is 

 slightly more elongated than any of the others, measuring .49 X .64, is of 

 a pure chalky whiteness, but is marked over its entire surface with fine 

 rounded dots of reddish-brown. The contrast between this spotted egg 

 and its immaculate companions is quite striking. 



The nest is a warm impacted mattress made of felted masses of the fur 

 of small (juadrupeds intermingled with a few hairs. It is four inches in 

 diameter, the wall about an inch and a half in thickness, and the cavity 

 nearly two inches deep. When found the eggs had been slightly in- 

 cubated. — T. M. Brkwer, Boston, Mass. 



