General Notes. 57 



actl}- that big, but he insisted, and I concluded to walk back and look at 

 the eggs, when the discovery was made. Who cares to look into each of 

 the dozen of Catbird's nests we find in the course of a season ? We are 

 satisfied to know that this is the nest of the Robin, the Wood-thrush, the 

 Catbird; but we do not think of taking the trouble to look every time at 

 their eggs or young. 



Still more likely to elude discovery would the strange egg be in the other 

 Cookoo's nest. In this neighborhood at least are the Cuckoo's nests gen- 

 erally amidst such a terribly entangled mass of wild vine that we do not 

 care to go up for mere pleasure. I do not know how regular egg-collec- 

 tors go to work ; other ornithologists may operate differently. My case 

 may be no measure. I give it only to draw attention to the matter, and I 

 have made up my mind to despise no more Catbirds's nests in future. — 

 O. WiDMAN, St. Louis, Mo. 



[Mr. Widman has overlooked a note which appeared in an early num- 

 ber of this Bulletin (Vol. II, p. no), where three instances of the lay- 

 ing of our Cuckoos in other bird's nests are given. Years ago when I 

 used to take many Cuckoo's nests each season in the apple orchards about 

 Cambridge it was no uncommon thing to find an z^^ of the Black-billed 

 species in a clutch of the Yellow-bills, and on more than one occasion, 

 but less often, the situation would be reversed. An instance of the lat- 

 ter kind came under my notice in 187S, when at Belmont, Mass., I found 

 a nest of the Black-billed Cuckoo which contained, besides two eggs 

 of the rightful proprietor, a single one of the Yellow-bill. Speaking 

 from memory, and without consulting my notes on the subject, I should 

 say that at least ten per cent of the Cuckoo's nests that I have found 

 contained eggs of both species. But in no case have I ever seen the eggs 

 of either kind in the nests of other birds. — William Brewster.] 



Mclanerpes erythroccphalits about Boston. — Massachusetts, at least 

 the extreme eastern part, has shared in the flight of Red-headed Wood- 

 peckers that has been i-eported as visiting Southern Connecticut last fall.* 

 During the latter part of September, through October and into November, 

 the oak groves in the suburbs of Boston were tenanted by numbers of 

 these truly handsome birds. I should judge that about one-third were 

 in full plumage, and their conspicuous dress attracting attention many 

 were shot. Twelve years ago the individual occurrence of this species 

 among us was thought worthy of record. Of late years, during the 

 moaths above named, it has become a more frequent though irregular 

 visitor, but never in such numbers as have recently shown themselves. 

 In spring or summer it is rarely seen, yet an instance of its nesting in 

 Brookline is given me by Mr. H. K. Job, who early in June, 1878, found 

 five eggs in the hole of an apple tree. According to Dr. C. Hart Merriam, 

 this Woodpecker is a common resident of Lewis County, N. Y.f May 

 not our visitors have come from that direction? — H. A. Purdie, JVetvtoN, 

 Mass. 



* Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. VI, pp. 78, 79. 

 t This Bulletin, Vol. Ill, p. 123. 



