126 
General Notes. 
2. Polioptila caerulea. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. — I shot a young 
bird, October n, 1879, at Fort Hamilton. It was skipping about in a row 
of honey-locusts, and was exceedingly active. 
3. Melospiza lincolni. Lincoln’s Sparrow. — An adult female was 
taken October 8, 1880, by my friend Mr. J. Dwight, Jr., while we were 
collecting at Fort Hamilton. 
4. Zonotrichia leucophrys. White-crowned Sparrow. — Two spec- 
imens captured. The first, an adult female, was taken May 19, 1880; the 
second, a young bird, sex not ascertained, was shot October 19, 1880. 
Both were captured at Fort Hamilton. 
5. Stglgidopteryx serripenis. Roitgh-winged Swallow. — I shot 
one at New Utrecht, April 19, 1878. 
6. Hylotomus pileatus. Pileated Woodpecker.— Mr. J. Akhurst, 
of Brooklyn, informs me that at least three individuals of this species 
have been met with on Long Island. In 1842 or 1843 he saw one at what 
is now East New York, Kings County. Another was sent to him about 
thirty years ago from the eastern part of the Island; the third which he 
obtained two years ago, was captured near Jamaica, Queens County. 
7. Falco gyrfalco obsoletus. Labrador Gyrfalcon. — Mr. J. Wal- 
lace, of New York, informs me that a fine specimen of this bird, killed in 
the fall two or three years ago, on the north shore of Long Island in 
Queen’s County, passed through his hands. It is now in the collection of 
Mr. Geo. A. Boardman. 
8. Nauclerus forficatus. Swallow-tailed Kite. — Mr. J. Akhurst 
tells me that about the year 1845, while collecting on the south shore of 
Long Island, he saw a bird of this species. He spent an entire day in 
endeavoring to secure it, but was unsuccessful. This I believe is its second 
and latest Long Island Record, the first being the capture of a specimen 
at Raynor South, in 1837, as recorded by Giraud in his “Birds of Long 
Island.” 
9. Cathartes atratus. Black Vulture. — An individual of this spe- 
cies was found dead on Coney Island Beach a few years ago. I have not 
the exact date, but Mr. Akhurst is my authority. 
10. Tringa maritima. Purple Sandpiper. — I shot this bird on 
Swinburn Hospital Island, Lower New York Bay, Nov. 27, 1879. I had 
been sailing for Ducks, and the wind failing, had landed on the Island, 
when one of the men told me a Snipe was walking about on the stones of 
the “crib.” It was very tame and evidently engrossed with its search for 
food, so it was easily secured. , 
11. Tryngites rufescens. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. — During a 
collecting visit I made to Montauk Point last summer, a specimen of this 
bird was shot there by a gentlemen on August 26, and kindly presented to 
me. — De L. Berier, Fort Hamilton , Long Island , N. T. 
Distribution of Birds as influenced by increase of Water 
Area. — Many of the readers of the Bulletin are doubtless cognizant 
of the fact that the city of Boston has been engaged for several years past 
in the construction of extensive works on Sudbury River in Framingham, 
