146 
General Notes . 
some extent “ revised,” but enlarged by the addition of upward of fifty 
pages of new matter. The former accounts of the mammals, birds, and rep- 
tiles remain unchanged, with the exception of a few verbal changes in re- 
spect to nomenclature, but several pages of new matter are added in the 
“ Addenda,” in which are included fifteen species of mammals and seven of 
birds not contained in the former edition. The account of the fishes has 
been entirely rewritten ; generic diagnoses have been substituted for the 
“ artificial keys” of the former edition ; and the latest results of this author’s 
recent investigations of this class have been incorporated. The high praise 
we felt justified in bestowing upon the first edition (see this Bulletin, Vol. I, 
p. 93) consequently applies with a still greater force to the present one. 
We hope that at no distant day the author will feel justified in so far en- 
larging the scope of his work as to include all the Vertebrates of North 
America, or, at least, of that portion north of Mexico. — J. A. A. 
(general fluted. 
Capture of the Yellow-throated Warbler in Massachusetts, 
and Notes on other Rare Massachusetts Birds. — In the collec- 
tion of Mr. George E. Browne of Dedham I saw, a few days since, a 
Yellow- throated Warbler ( Dendrceca dominica ) that was shot by him on 
the banks of Charles River in that town nine or ten years ago. This is a 
new bird to the State and the second New England record. Mr. Browne 
also had a specimen each of the King Rail ( Rallies elegans ) and the Snow 
Goose (Anser hyperboreus). The former was got on the Sudbury Meadows 
some years since, the latter off Scituate in November, 1877. This occur- 
rence of the Rail is the second instance known for Massachusetts, and the 
Goose is perhaps worth noting. — H. A. Purdie, Newton , Mass. 
Capture of Two Rare Birds in* the Hudson River Valley. — 
1. Centurus carolinus (Linne) Swainson. Red-bellied Woodpecker. 
— I recently examined a handsomely mounted Woodpecker of this spe- 
cies in the possession of Mr. Jas. S. Buchanan, of Newburgh, which was 
taken at Cornwall, on the Hudson, in September, 1870. 
2. Colymbus septentrionalis (Linne). Red-throated Diver. — 
After ineffectual efforts to trace supposed specimens of this species, I was 
agreeably surprised to find a fine immature example in the collection of 
Mr. Peter de Nottbeck, Esq., taken (near his residence) November 14, 
'*1876, on the Hudson River, at Low Point, sixty-one miles from New York. 
— Edgar A. Mearns, Highland Falls , N. Y. 
' ~ V y ' - A' ■/-•>•■ ' 
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ( Polioptila ccerulea) in Massachusetts. 
•— Among a number of mounted birds presented to the New England col- 
