'SS3-] -General Notes: ' . 6 1 



Richardson's Owl in Southern New Hampshire. — On Decembei- 

 15; 1879, I took a female Nyctala tengmalmi richardsoni at Hollis, New 

 Hampshire. It was in a small grove of white pines, and was sitting bolt 

 upright bj the side of a trunk about ten feet from the ground. It was 

 wide awake, for it watched me closely as I stepped back in order not to 

 mutilate it. The weather was mild at the time with about three inches of 

 snow on the gi'ound. — William H. Fox, Washington, D. C. 



The Burrowing Owl in Florida. — Mr. Chas. W. Gunn, of Grand 

 Rapids, Mich., writes of the abundance of this bird in certain localities in 

 Florida. "Hearing of a small Owl living in burrows in the ground, dug 

 bj itself, in the prairies east of the Kissimmee River, I ascertained beyond 

 doubt that it is the Sfeotyto. Mr. Parker, state representative, who lives 

 at Fort Bassenger, tells me they are very common on the prairies north 

 and east of the Fort, where a dozen can be shot in an hour." — Elliott 

 CouES, Washington, D. C. 



Note on the Mississippi Kite. — Dr. J. H. Mellichamp, of Bluffton, 

 South Carolina, sends us a specimen of Ictinia mississij)piensis, with a 

 letter containing interesting notes on the bird as observed in that locality. 

 About the second week in August several of these birds were observed, 

 usually in pairs, hovering and soaring at a considerable height over the 

 village, from morning till night, occasionally swooping down upon their 

 prey among the oak-trees. Their motions were very graceful as they 

 poised and floated, with their heads bent down in eager watch for their 

 prey, occasionally uttering their peculiar cry. A specimen having been 

 brought down from a great height, about the first of September, the rest 

 disappeared, and were not seen again. Upon examination the stomach 

 was found to be crammed with "locusts" (cicadas), among which were a 

 few " katj'dids." A countryman who had killed one of these Hawks at .his 

 place informed Dr. Mellichamp they were there much less shy than they 

 were here oyer the village, and that his poultry did not show the fear of 

 them which they manifested for Hawks of other species. The writer con- 

 siders the birds strangers in his locality, which is on the mainland, along 

 May River, midway between Beaufort. S. C, and Savannah, Ga. — Elliott 

 CouES, Washington. D. C. 



Occurrence of the Swallow-tailed Kite in Massachusetts. — Mr. 

 Raymond L. Newcomb infoi-ms me that he has in his possession a stufl:ed 

 specimen of Elanoides forficatus, shot near the town of West Newbury, 

 Essex Co., Mass., on the last of September, 1S82. This is believed to be 

 the first authentic capture of the kind on record for New England. — 

 Elliott Coues, Washington. D. C. 



The Baldpate in Rhode Island.— The American Widgeon or Bald- 

 pate {Mareca americana') has been unusually abundant in the waters of 

 Southern Rhode Island during November, and the first week of Decem- 

 ber, 1882. About December i a gentleman brought in a bunch for identi- 



