430 General Notes. ‘July, 
males that seek these strange places of abode, while the males live a free 
and roving existence; and as the general shape of the body is somewhat 
different in the two sexes under these circumstances, it is possible that 
Dana’s species is the male form of the one which I discovered. In the 
latter the carapace or shield is less orbicular, and more produced trans- 
versely ; while the shape of the claws and ambulatory feet, as well as 
the peculiar markings on each, are almost identical. 
I propose for this little individual the suggestive generic title Asseela; 
the specific name Aolothuricola will indicate her odd place of abode. The 
habitat is Palmyra Island, one of the Fanning group. Dana’s species 
belongs in the same genus under the name of Assecla orbiculare, unless 
further research should determine it to belong to the same species. — 
Dr. Tuomas H. STREETS, k 
Tae Lirrte Warre EereT IN Cororapo.—In Birds of the 
Northwest, Dr. Coues states that “ the introduction of Ardea candidis- 
sima Gm.” among the birds of the region drained by the Missouri and 
its tributaries “rests on its occurrence in Kansas, as recorded by Pro- 
fessor Snow.” A specimen in fine plumage was killed and presented to 
me last week (May 4th), by Mr. James Sevar, of this place. It was 
taken on the shores of a small “lake,” near the eastern base of the 
mountains, thirty miles northwest of Denver. The bird was a “ lonely 
pilgrim,” and had wandered far from its maritime home. — J. CLARENCE 
Hersey, Boulder, Colorado. 
SENSITIVENESS TO SOUND IN THE SHREW. — In the heavily-timbered 
forest in the neighborhood of Sheboygan, Michigan, on a cold day in 
Bais 
October, 1875, I caught a characteristic full-grown specimen of Thomp-. 
son’s shrew (Sorex Thompsonit Baird). The pretty little creature had 
been busy about an old decayed stump, where it seemed to have its home. 
It uttered no audible cry, though at first it made several hostile demon- 
strations, endeavoring to escape, and, seizing my fingers in its mou 
tried to bite them, but the delicacy of its teeth rendered the attempt futile. 
Having no suitable place in which to deposit it, I carefully wrapped It 
in paper, allowing its head to protrude, and held it in my hand. Some 
sportsmen were out shooting on the bay about a mile off, and the reports 
from their guns came to us from time to time, generally so much mufited 
by the distance as to be barely distinguishable, yet the shrew invariably 
responded to each detonation with a quick, spasmodic movement, or 
dently of alarm. Holding the animal as I did, the movement was inpe 
diately perceptible. Though aware that the acuteness of the auditory 
organs of these animals and their allied genera is most wonderful, I ad 
hardly prepared for so unequivocal a proof of its extreme sensitivenes® 
which, under the circumstances, I was enabled to test repeatedly in sd 
individual Sorex. 
It was my intention to preserve the animal alive, and take it with me 
on my return home for further experiment and a study 0 
La 
f its habits: — 
