General Notes. 181 



- 30, treatino; of the habits and distribution of the following species : "The 

 Curlews of North America," Ibid., XI, p. 1 70 ; " The American Bittern, 

 Botaurus lentig'mosux (Gm.)," p. 200 ; " History of the Red-breasted or 

 Cinnamon Teal, Querqiieduia cyanoptera" p. 218 ; " The Snow Goose, or 

 White Brant, ^4»7ser hyperhoreus, Pall.," p. 233 ; "The American Coot, 

 Fulica americana, Gm.," p. 270; "The Wood Ibis," p. 283; "The Soli- 

 tary Tattler ; Wood Tattler (Totamis solitarins')," p. 301 ; " Semipalmated 

 Tattler; W^illet; Stone SniTpe {Totanus semipalmatics) " -p.SlS; "Bartramian 

 Sandpiper or Tattler ; Upland Plover [Actilurus harlramius)," p. 332 ; 

 "Buff-breasted Sandpiper {Tryngites rufescens)," p. 348; "Great Marbled 

 Godwit (Limosa fedoa)," p. 365; "The Great White Egret (Ai-dea 

 egretta)," p. 380. 



53. The American Bittern, Botaurus minor {Gm.). By Everett Smith. 

 Ihid., XI, p. 283. — A detailed account of its habits, as observed by the 

 writer, at various localities in New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, 

 and Nova Scotia. 



54. Nesting of the Great Blue Heron in the West. By Elliott Coues. Ihid., 

 XI, p. 391. — An account of its nesting along the Colorado River on 

 shelves of rock in the cliffs borderins: the river. — J. A. A. 



Nest and Eggs of Catherpes mexicanus conspeesus. — Mr. H. 

 D. Minot, writing under date of June 9, from Manitou, Colorado, gives 

 the following interesting information, on a subject very little known : — 



" You will be interested to know that yesterday I made another suc- 

 cessful trip, and found the nest of the Canon Wren. It was ten feet from 

 the ground, in the roof of a cave, in a niche or pocket affording a flat 

 bottom, and just about large enough to hold it, while the opening was so 

 narrow (vertically) that I could neither introduce my hand to take the eggs 

 nor remove the nest, which was so admirably stowed away that nothing 

 but the movements of the birds and the dangling of three twigs betrayed its 

 hiding-place. The female evidently was ready to set (and this morning 

 I found her at home). I was much puzzled at first how to secure my 

 prize. This morning I got the help of an intelligent workman, who im- 

 provised a ladder, from the upper rungs of which I studied the situation. 

 Fortunately the rock was soft ; and, while I upheld the slab, my assistant, 

 with a few gentle blows of an axe, detached that part immediately beneath 

 the nest, which I was thus able to remove entire, and bring safely to my 

 room. It is not bulky ; nor could it have been so in such a snug recess. 

 Neither, to my regret, is it pretty. The outer part, being loose twiss, I 

 can hardly hope to hold in shape. The inner, measuring three inches 



