October 21, 1891. — The Vice-President in the chair. Eight mem- 

 bers and three visitors present. 



Three papers relating to Long Island birds were read ; one by Mr. 

 A. H. Howell, upon the birds seen by him at the western end of 

 Shinnecock Bay, August 24 to 29, 1891 ; one by Mr. Wm. Dutcher, 

 upon the birds seen on Great South Bay, from September 17 to 24, 

 1 89 1 ; and Mr. L. S. Foster presented some notes on a trip made to 

 Amity ville, Sept. 7, 1891. 



Mr. Dutcher stated that a small breeding colony of Laughing 

 Gulls (Lams atricilld) was located on Cedar Island, in the Great 

 South Bay — probably the only one now left in this vicinity. He had 

 observed a flock of fully one hundred Cormorants (probably 

 Phalacrocorax dilophus) migrating high in air on September 21, 1891. 



The frequent capture of Ereunetes occidentalis on Long Island was 

 referred to. 



November 4, 1891. — The President in the chair. Eleven members 

 and one visitor present. 



Dr. J. A. Allen presented a paper on " The North American Species 

 of the Genus Colaptes, considered with Special Reference to the Rela- 

 tionships of Colaptes auratus and Colaptes cafer." [Bull. Am. Mus. 

 Nat. Hist., Vol. iv, No. 1, pp. 21-44.] 



Mr. Chapman showed a specimen of Colinus virginianus floridanns 

 taken in New Jersey. 



Dr. J. A. Allen exhibited alive, a rare turtle from Minnesota — 

 Emys meleagris, and also the skin of a new Grackle from Nicaragua, 

 recently described (from other specimens) in the "Ibis" as Quiscahis 

 nicaragaaensis. 



November 18, 1891. — The President in the chair. Twelve mem- 

 bers and eleven visitors present. 



Mr. Henry Hales presented a brief paper, suggesting the reason 

 why the Goldfinch (Spinus trislis) breeds so late in this vicinity. He 

 attributed the habit to its love for the seeds of the dandelion, and 

 gave it as his opinion that the birds move from one locality to another 

 during May and June in order to follow up the seeding of this plant. 



Mr. Jonathan Dwight, Jr. , brought up the subject of birds seen at 

 night around the Statue of Liberty ? by asking for the views of those 

 members who had recently passed a night with him on Bedloe's 

 Island. Mr. F. M. Chapman read his notes written the day following 

 the visit, and Mr, L. S. Foster and Dr. C. S. Allen made some 



