62 General Notes. 



taiaing respectively seven and eight eggs. The nests were situated as 

 follows. The first was placed on some drifted rushes on a sunken log, and 

 was composed of flags and rushes evidently taken from the pile of drift 

 upon the log, as they were short pieces, so short, in fact, that the nest when 

 lifted with the hands fell in pieces. The nest was about four inches 

 deep, and lined with down from the female. This nest contained seven 

 fresh eggs of a creamy color, and varied in measurements from 2.30 X 1.75 

 to 2.22 X 1.66 inches, and were of a uniform oval shape, very little 

 smaller at one end. The other nest was built similar to a Coot's nest, 

 that is, of flags and grass interwoven at the base of a bunch of flags, grow- 

 ing in water three or four feet deep. It was built in such a way that the 

 nest would rise and fall with the water. This nest also contained down 

 and eight fresh eggs, uniform in size, shape, and color with the others. 

 The birds, male and female, were flying around, and often came quite close 

 to me. The cry of the female resembled the cry of the Mallard so nearly 

 that, had I heard and not seen the bird, I should have supposed it to be 

 the Mallard. 



I saw small parties of Black-heads {Fiilix marila and F. affinis) in 

 groups of ten or twelve, mostly males, in a small piece of marsh between 

 the south and middle channels. I found one nest of F. marila, containing 

 three eggs. They were of a greenish-drab color, and measured 2.o0 X 

 1.70, and 2.37 X 1.75 inches. The nest was built in a tuft of flags, and 

 composed of rushes and wild rice lined with some down and feathers. It 

 was situated similarly to the Red-head's nest, resting in the water, and 

 being held in place by the tuft of flags in which it was built. I killed the 

 female as she was circling around me while I was examining the eggs. I 

 saw fifty or more birds of this sjjecies and F. affinis, while punting about, 

 and as I did not find any more nests I concluded I was too early for them. 

 I intended to go again a week or so later, but could not do so. 



The Black Terns (^Hydi-ochelidon lariformis) were just coming in. The 

 Bonaparte Gulls {Larus Philadelphia) had not yet arrived. Several hunt- 

 ers who live at the flats told me that the Bonaparte Gulls breed in Balti- 

 more Bay and the North Channel, and that they lay their eggs on old 

 logs with no signs of a nest. — W. H. Collins, Detroit, Mich. 



The King Eider at Buffalo, N. Y. — Although the King Eider 

 (^Somateria spectabilis) has been recorded as occurring at Lake Erie 

 (" Wheaton, Ohio Agric. Rep. 1860," — Jide Coues, Bds. Northwest, 

 p. 581), and as a " rare winter visitant" to Lake Michigan (Nelso7i, Bull. 

 Essex Inst., VIII, p. 143), its presence near BuffiUo, N. Y., in such num- 

 bers as the following communication indicates, seems worthy of record. 

 Mr. Charles Linden, of that city, in a letter dated Nov. 26, 1879, writes: 

 " I send you a fresh-shot specimen of what appears to be Somateria spec- 

 tabilis, young Several flocks of them have, for the first time, made 



their appearance in the Niagara ; they are very tame, allow approach to 



