NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 57 
THE Osprey (Pandion haliaétus).— Mr. Allen, on page 569 of Vol. iii 
of the NATURALIST, refers to the desertion of the seaboard of Massachu- 
setts by this bird. I will relate an incident which came under my observa- 
tion some time ie showing that the — is still, or recently, a very 
near neighbor and affording some expectation of his return to our coasts 
where seni a suitable to his peculiar met still exist. 
alking from Bristol to Warren, R. I., in May, 1868, I noticed with a 
pleasant MD an eyrie of a pair of these birds on the denuded top or 
a stunted oak or butternut, at an elevation, judging from my distance, of 
less than twenty feet from the ground, located near a solitary farmstead, 
b half a mile distant on the right of the turnpike, and with but few 
oiher trees of dwarfish growth scattered at intervals around. The female 
bird appeared to be busily engaged in collecting material and repairing 
her nest; the male meanwhile sedulously pursuing his piscatory avoca- 
tion over the adjacent bay. I presume I could not have been mistaken in 
identifying the species on this occasion, having had some years previous 
a fair opportunity of studying the habits of these birds on the estate of 
my friend, Dr. Parmley, near Shrewsbury Iulet, New Jersey. — J. R. Cor- 
LETE, Somerville, Mass 
THE Great AuK.— The statement (Amer. Nat., iii, p. 539) that **the 
Great Auk or Gare-fowl, fortunately wu itself did not live long enough to 
receive more than one scientific name" is incorrect. I give several (Pro- 
ceedings of the Academy of Natural CB Phila., 1866), and believe 
others might be found. The tips of the wings are not white, as stated 
(1. c.), the primaries not being thus marked. I — Judge ‘less than 
case is 
weighty that Professor Nesnton conld not say with edens ar Se 
there is yet a chance of the Great Auk still existing" (ibid., p. 23). — 
ELLIOTT Cougs. 
A RARE VISITOR. — A specimen of Pomarine Jager ( Lestrís Pomarina), 
was obtained by Mr. Vincent Barnard on the fourth of July last, on en 
Susquehanna River at Peach Bottom, Lancaster County, Penn. Ana 
bird oF the same species was procured, during the summer of jel ^ 
summer may well be considered as quite remarkable. ,* 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. IV. 8 
