20 Notes on Rhode Island Ornithology. 



shot at Qvionochontaug, R. I., by Mr. H. H. Burdick, on the unusually 

 early date of March 2, 1900. The weather at this time was mild for the 

 season, with very little wind. In the collection of Mr. R. J. Davey, of 

 Westerly, there is a handsome adult of the Yellow Rail (Porzana nove- 

 boi-acensis) which was shot near Westerly during the last week of 

 September, 1897. This makes the fifth record for this rare Rail in this 

 State. While riding through Wakefield near "Dale Carlia " corners on 

 the morning of June 17, 1900, my attention was attracted by the song of a 

 Black Poll Warbler, Dendroica striata. This is an unusually late date for 

 it, my latest record previous to this being June 7, 1898. There was shot at 

 Point Judith, August 5th, 1900, a young Bonaparte's Gull (Lartts Philadel- 

 phia). This is quite early for them to reach here, the main body arriving 

 usually in late September. 

 South Auburn, R. I., Sept. 10,1900. Harry S. Hathaway. 



Notes from Newport. — July 19, 1900, I took off " Purgatory," Middle- 

 town, R. I., one American Scaup Duck {Aythya marila). It was a 

 cripple and unable to fly. On August 21, 1900, while on Cormorant Rock, 

 I saw a Cormorant fly past towards the southeast. It was probably a 

 Double-crested Cormorant {PJtalacrocorax dilophus') , but it was too far off 

 to determine its species, at all events August 21 is an early date for 

 Cormorants to appear here. Mr. Le Roy King took on September 8, 1900, 

 a Baird's Sandpiper ( T^'inga bairdii) on the Second Beach marsh. Middle- 

 town, so far as we know this is the third record for Rhodq Island. 

 For ten days, from August 20 to 31, 1900, there were a great many Black 

 Terns (^Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensts) about ; they were seen 

 about Narragansett Bay as well as the Ocean, and one was taken on the 

 Second Beach marsh by Mr. Le Roy King. They appeared to all be 

 young birds. 

 Newport, Sept. iS, 1900. Edward Sturtevant. 



The European Ruff [Pavojicella pugnax) in Rhode Island. — One of 

 the most interesting captures which has been made in this State for a 

 great many years, is a female of this species which was shot in the marsh 

 near Seaconnet Point, Little Compton, on July 30, 1900, by Mr. Newton 

 Dexter, who kindly permits me to publish the record. This is a widely 

 distributed Old World bird, occasionally straggling to America ; there 

 being two records for Massachusetts, three for New England and nine 

 for North America up to the time of this capture. Mr. Dexter has been 

 particularly fortunate in collecting rare birds in this State, especially 

 European species, he having taken beside the Ruff a Corn Crake (Crex 

 crex) which was killed in Cranston in 1857. 

 South Auburn, R. I., Sept. 10, 1900. H. S. Hathaway. 



The Acadian Sharp-tailed Sparrow in R. I. — Mr. J. W. Staintor, of 

 Providence, kindly permits me to publish the capture by him of four speci- 



