Brewer. ] 274 [May 7, 
Rallus elegans Aud. Mr. Purdie (Bull. Nutt. Club, m1, p. 
146), mentions the capture of an example of the King Rail on the 
Sudbury meadows, by Mr. Geo. E. Browne of Dedham, several 
years since. 
Rallus crepitans Gm. Mr. N. C. Brown (ibid tv, p. 106), in 
an interesting paper on birds occurring near Portland, mentions the 
Clapper Rail as a rare visitor to Maine, on the ground of several 
specimens procured in Falmouth, Oct. 17, 1866. 
Cygnus americanus Sharpless. In the same journal (1u, p. 
198), Mr. Brewster refers to a fine specimen of the Whistling Swan 
in the possession of Mr. H. S. Sweet of Nantucket. It was shot 
March 4, 1878, on Coskata Pond by Mr. F. P. Chadwick. In the 
Bulletin for April, 1879, Mr. Brewster mentions another swan killed 
at Seabrook, N. H., Oct. 18, 1878. It was a male in immature 
plumage. 
In the collection of our Society is another specimen of this swan, 
the history of which has, unfortunately, been allowed to become ob- 
secured by an omission to record the data of its capture. From in- 
formation, however, received from Mr. Geo. O. Welch, I have no 
doubt that it was shot some fifteen years ago at Nahant by a Mr. 
Taylor. It was for some time on exhibition in the house of Mr. Tudor, 
and was finally purchased by Deming Jarvis, Esq., and by him given 
to our Society. It is entitled, on the evidence, to a place in our New 
England collection. 
Anser hyperboreus Pallas. All notes touching the occurrence 
of this species in New England are of interest. Mr. Purdie is au- 
thority (Bull. Nutt. Club, m1, p. 146), for the capture of one off 
about eighteen examples of that bird in that neighborhood, from whom I hope to 
receive further particulars as to the circumstances under which these were taken. 
Rye, N. H., Ipswich, Salem, and Swampscott, Mass., are the only places in which 
the occurrence of this species is recorded in all eastern New England, and there 
the numbers have been small and the occurrence irregular. From Swampscott to 
Provincetown, along our eastern coast, absolutely none are recorded. From 
Provincetown to Bristol County the number is one solitary individual, and 
that without complete certainty; Nantucket, one individual; Elizabeth 
Islands two single cases; the rest of Massachusetts, none; Connecticut, none; 
Rhode Island, none: Long Island, north shore, none; south shore, found in a 
very restricted portion, and in one instance in considerable numbers. And here I 
may mention that Giraud, author of The Birds of Long Island, a noted sports- 
man and excellent ornithologist, who made Long Island the field of his researches, 
met with but two individuals of this species in the course of his life. From Long 
Island to Squam Beach in New Jersey, we have no record, and on the last named 
ten are mentioned, all but three single cases. 
