^°'g^"^] General Notes. igj 



Melanerpes torquatus. Licwis's Wooni'iccKicR. — -'I'liis is an ocxasional 

 visitor in tlie fall or winter. Some years two or three will ajipear, and 

 oilier years none at all. 



Dendroica nigrescens. Black-throated Gr.w Wauhlkr. — One 

 taken, a male, Sept. iS, iSyy. Had never heard of one in Marin County 

 before, and have seen none since. 



Dendroica townsendii. Townsend's Warbler. — The bird is of rare 

 occurrence in this neighborhood, but almost every year two or three are 

 taken. 



Mimus polyglottos. Mockinguird. — One specimen, a male, was 

 taken here by Mr. C A. Allen on Dec. 30, 1S94, and is now in our collec- 

 tion. There was no evidence of its having at any time been a caged bird. 



Myadestes townsendii. — Townsend's Solitaire. — On Feb. 14, 1880, 

 while on top of our chaparral hills with Mr. C. A. Allen five or six of 

 these birds were observed flying among some cedar trees. Three speci- 

 mens were shot. Since then I have seen no more, although constantly 

 on the lookout for them, until Dec. 20, 1S97. Long-continued cold 

 weather had led me to believe that there was a liability of a visit from 

 some of these birds, and on this date I caught sight of one flying across 

 a canon. I was fortunate enough to locate it on top of a Douglas fir and 

 to make the capture. It proved to be a male. Those shot in iSSo were 

 J males and i female. — Joseph Mailliard, Sa/i Geronimo, Marin Co., 

 Cal. 



California Bird Notes. — -On looking over my records for the past few- 

 years I find some items that may be of service in indicating the geo- 

 graphical distribution of the species mentioned. 



Synthliboramphus antiquus. Ancient Murrelet. — In December, 

 1S95, I obtained three females of this species on Monterey Bay, off Paci- 

 fic Grove, and in January, 1896, three males and two females in the same 

 locality. In the California Academy of Sciences there is a fine series of 

 these birds from Monterey Bay, taken by Mr. L. M. Loomis in December, 

 1894, and January, 1895 (Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. (2), VI, 1S96, pp. 

 17-19.) 



Brachyramphus hypoleucus. Xantus's Murrelet. — On Dec. 2, 1895, 

 I obtained a male of this species on Monterey Bay, and on Jan. 17, 1896, 

 a female. Also one, taken on this bay by Mr. L. M. Loomis, is in the 

 California Academy of Sciences. (Proc. Cal, Acad. Sci. (2), V, 1895, p. 



2X1. J 



Puffinus tenuirostris. Slender-billed Shearwater. — On Dec. 17, 

 18, and 19, 1895, large bands of Shearwaters were feeding on Monterey 

 Bay and out of the number that were taken fifteen proved to be of the 

 above species. An immense flock of, presumabl_v, P. griseus and P. 

 tenuirostris followed a school of sardines close into shore on Dec. 20, 

 contrary to their usual habits, but unfortunately the necessity of return- 

 ing to my business affairs by the early train the following morning 

 prevented me from taking advantage of this flight. Had I realized at 



