1889. | General Notes. 2 75 
a single individual as late as March 7. They were doubtless a part of the 
great flock blown upon the New England coast by the storm of November 
25-27, as already more than once mentioned in ‘The Auk.’ The season 
was very open and mild (although February averaged rather colder than 
usual), and the spot was exceptionally favorable. So faras Icould judge, 
the birds suffered no inconvenience from what we may presume to havebeen 
a somewhat involuntary sojourn in this latitude. 
Mrs. Celia Thaxter assures me that the Killdeers remained at the Isles 
of Shoals, also, throughout the winter,—‘‘till the very last week in Feb- 
ruary, growing fewer and fewer and finally disappearing altogether.” 
Her authorities for the statement are her brother and another resident of 
the Shoals, one of whom, early in December, shot a bird, parts of which 
(a wing, etc.) she sent to me _ for identification.—BRADFORD ToRREY, 
Melrose Highlands, Mass. 
The Wild Turkey in the North Carolina Mountains.—During the 
month of July, 1888, the writer was one of a small party which went over 
the country described by Mr. W. A. Jeffries in the April ‘Auk.’ Our 
route was about two hundred miles long, and we spent a month on the 
way, camping and tramping. We started from Sylva, and, if I mistake 
not, our driver was the same one employed by him; at least he told us of 
going through that country with two ‘‘bird men” in the spring. 
Our object was to collect the plants of the region, and we paid little 
attention to the birds. We went from Sylva to Highlands by way of the 
High Falls of the Tuckaseege and Cashier's Valley. Atthe latter place 
we meta very intelligent gentleman,—the owner of a gold mine in the 
vicinity. He pointed out to us the spot where he had the day before seen 
an old Turkey with a large brood of young cross the road. They were 
not considered uncommon in the valley. From Highlands we went to 
Franklin and then on to the Nontehala Mountains, climbing Wayoh Bald 
on our way. Not far from the summit, by the trail, we found several 
places where the Turkeys had been scratching, evidently only a few hours 
before. A day or two later, two of the boys went hunting with a native 
guide. They found no Turkeys though they saw plenty of ‘signs’, From 
our conversations with the people I think that while the Turkeys are not 
perhaps abundant, they can scarcely be called rare.—L. N. JOHNSON, 
Evanston, Tlkinozs. 
Buteo brachyurus in Florida.—A fine adult female of this species has 
been presented to me by Mr. Geo. A. Boardman. The specimen was 
found by Mr. Boardman ina barrel of millinery skins in a store in Jack- 
sonville, Florida. The barrel contained a number of badly prepared 
specimens of Syruéum nebulosum allent and Ajaja ajaja besides Herons 
and Waders. The specimen was minus its feet, but was otherwise in good 
condition. The storekeeper claimed to have received the birds from 
Charlotte Harbor.—Cuwas. B. Cory, Boston, Mass. 
