ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 
83 
tends even on the sides. Middle tail-feathers like the back ; others brown 
above, and tipped with white in increasing amount, till the outer ones are 
white for half an inch ; tail below black, with the white tips, as just said. 
Under tail-coverts pure white. In general habits, the bird is quiet and 
not readily alarmed ; it associates with the White-winged Doves {Melopelia 
leucoptera), and prefers tall trees to undergrowth.” 
I sent my correspondent’s letter to Mr. Kidgway, who kindly compared 
the description with specimens of Leptotila albifrons in the National 
Museum, and made this identification. — Elliott Coues, JF ashmgton,D. C. 
Melopelia leucoptera in Colorado. — Mr. E. L. Berthoud, writing 
from Golden, Col., March 7, 1877, informs me of the occurrence of this 
species near timber line on the head of Cub Creek, J efferson County. He 
saw a dozen or more of the birds — rare in this region — in July, 1869. 
This verifies my surmise (Birds of the Northwest, p. 386) of the actual 
occurrence of the species beyond hitherto recorded limits. — Elliott 
Codes, Washington, D. C. 
The Ruff and the Purple Gallinule m Ohio. — Dr. Theodore 
Jasper, of_this city, obtained, November 10, 1872, at the Licking Reser- 
voir, thirty miles east of Columbus, a Wader which remained uniden- 
tified till recently. I was of the opinion that it would prove to be either 
Philomachus pugnax, or a nondescript. On communicating my views to 
Mr. H. W. Henshaw, of AVashington, he kindly offered to compare the 
specimen with others in the National Museum. He WTites that the bird, 
which was a male (probably young), is positively identical with specimens 
of that species in the collection of the National Museum. 
I have also just received from rny friend. Dr. Howard E. Jones, a fine 
skin of the Purple Gallinule {Porphyrio martinica), killed by him at Circle- 
ville, Ohio, May 10, 1877. This bird is now recorded for the first time, on 
unimpeachable authority, as a visitor to this State. Dr. Jones tells me that 
it has been seen before in the vicinity of Circleville. In my Catalogue of 
the Birds of Ohio (Ohio Agric. Rep., 1860), it was inserted on what I after- 
ward discovered to be insufficient authority, and for that reason it W'as 
omitted from a subsequent list (Food of Birds, etc. 1875). I have several 
times been favored with reports, and once or twfice with skins, presumed 
to be of this species, which proved, however, to be those of the Florida 
Gallinule, which is not a rare summer resident throughout the State. — 
J. M. Wheaton, Columbus, 0. 
Notes on Nyctale Acadica. — Although not generally common in 
any locality, the Acadian or Saw- whet Owl has been of quite frequent 
occurrence in Chicago and immediate vicinity during the past three years. 
A female of this species in my collection was caught alive while sleeping 
on one of the lower branches of a pine-tree, June 23, 1874. In July of 
the same year three adult specimens were shot by a boy, who saved only 
