General Notes. 
T 79 
Hesperiphona vespertina in Central Illinois. — The Evening 
Grosbeak has for its habitat the region extending from the Plains to the 
Pacific Ocean, and from Mexico into British America. Toward the north 
it ranges further to the east ; so that, while it appears to be not uncommon 
about Lake Superior, it has been reported as occurring in Ohio, New York, 
and Canada. In Illinois it was observed at Freeport during the winter of 
1870-71 ; and at Waukegan during January 1873 (Hist. N. A. Birds by 
Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway). Mr. Robt. Ridgway, in his recently issued 
u Catalogue of the Birds of Illinois,” states that it is ‘‘a winter visitant 
to the extreme northern counties” of the State. 
It will, therefore, be a matter of interest to ornithologists to learn that 
this exquisite bird is sometimes found further south and at a less advanced 
season of the year. About the year 1872, while hunting during the fine 
autumn weather in the woods about Eureka, Illinois, I fell in with a flock 
of these Grosbeaks and succeeded in killing six of their number. They 
were feeding in the treetops on the seeds of the sugar maple, just then 
ripening, and were excessively fat. They were very unsuspicious, and for 
a long time appeared to be incapable of realizing the havoc that I was 
making in their ranks, as they tarried in the neighboring boughs and ut- 
tered their call-notes to summon their missing companions. As the skins 
of these birds afterward passed out of my hands, I can not now give with 
certainty the year of their capture. Eureka is in Woodford County and 
one hundred and twenty miles nearly due south of Freeport. It is about 
the same distance south of Waukegan. — O. P. Hay, Butler University , 
Irvington , Ind . 
Habits of the Swamp Sparrow in Confinement. — Dr. Elliott 
Coues : My dear Sir : — You may recall a conversation on the subject of 
my aviary which took place at the “ Wentworth ” last summer. As you 
then appeared somewhat interested in my experiments with native birds 
I venture to send you some new facts. In the early part of November I 
visited a New York bird store, and there found a cage of our native birds, 
freshly caught, and very wild. The trapper who had just brought them 
in was present. But as he was a German, speaking very little English, and 
was moreover more than a little intoxicated; as he also while talking 
held a short pipe in his mouth from which he puffed the smoke of villain- 
ous tobacco into my face, our interview was not wholly satisfactory. Still 
I succeeded in obtaining some scraps of information. He had a Song 
Sparrow, a “Chippy,” a White-throated Sparrow, two Purple Finches 
(in different stages of plumage), a Snow-bird ( Junco hyemalis ), a Snow 
Bunting ( Plectrophanes nivalis'), and one small bird I did not know. On 
questioning its captor as to this last stranger he gave me to understand 
that it was “Kleiner wasser bird — live in vet place, vere never could go the 
lady — she vet her foots.” I bought the whole lot, and, when at home, 
studied up my unknown friend. He proved to be the Swamp Sparrow 
(. Melospiza falustris), and his habits are so curious I want you to know 
of them. I placed him in a large cage, already containing some fifty birds, 
