General Notes. 1 23 



large birds have been known to come to the rescue of a wounded compan- 

 ion, and believing that this same trait has never been noticed in the Eagle. 

 I note the following account as witnessed by Paul Scheuring (Nov. 6, 1880). 

 While hunting on the marshes of Green Bay. he discovered four large 

 Eagles (Haliactus leucocefkalus) circling around not far distant ; he im- 

 mediately paddled towards them and succeeded in wounding one to such 

 an extent that it could not fly, but lay fluttering on the water. Before he 

 could reach it the other three Eagles had flown to the assistance of the 

 fallen bird. Catching hold of its wings the noble birds did their best to 

 carry it off. but not being able to raise it they only managed to drag it 

 a considerable distance, which showed their friendlv intentions just as well 

 as if they had succeeded in flying oft" with it. 



After seeing that they could not render their wounded companion any 

 assistance, they flew away with a wild scream, leaving the poor bird 

 to the mercy of Mr. Scheuring. who quickly dispatched it bv holding it 

 under the water until it was quite dead. — Saml. W. Millard. Went De 

 Pi re. Wise. 



Richardson's Owl in Rhode Island. — A specimen of Richardson's 

 Owl (Nyctale teugmalmi richardsoni) was obtained this winter near this 

 city. Its capture was ascertained by Mr. Newton Dexter, who saw the 

 bird in the possession of a young lady whose brother shot it. — Frederic 

 T. Jencks. Providence. R. I. 



The Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) in Massachusetts. — A 

 bird of this interesting species was shot October 19, 1880. near Lake Co- 

 chituate in the town of Natick. Middlesex County, by a local gunner. Mr. 

 Paul S. Roberts, in whose possession I first saw it. secured and mounted 

 the specimen. The plumage is immature, being that of "R. occidentalis." 

 of authors (figured in Vigor's Zodl. Voy. of Blossom, pi. xii : Grav's 

 Gen. of Birds, III. pi. civ; Cassin's 111., pi. xl). My record is the third 

 authentic one for New England, and the first for Massachusetts.* 



We are indebted to Mr. E. J. Smith of Natick for knowledge of this cap- 

 ture, he writing the fact to Mr. C. J. Maynard. who kindly gave me the 

 information. — H. A. Purdie. Newton. Mass. 



The Whistling Swan in Massachusetts. — On the morning of the 

 16th of October. 1880. about 8 a.m.. I observed a flock of Swans (CvgiiHs 

 americanus, Sharp.) on their autumnal migration. The flock contained 

 five individuals and probably belonged to one family. Thev were flying 

 in a nearly due south course, in the typical triangle of 6o°. at an elevation 

 of about one third of a mile and with a velocity of about fifty miles per 

 hour. They did not pass directly overhead but a little to the west of my 

 place of observation, and for a few seconds their position was such that the 

 downward motion of the left wing of each bird cast a shadow upon the 



* See Merriam, Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. IV, 1877, p. 103; Brown, Hull. N. O. ('., IV. 

 1879, p. 108; Boarrlman, Ibid., V, 1880, p. 241. 



