A Second Specimen of the Yellow-crowned Night Heron 
(Nyctiardea violacea ) in Massachusetts. — Since the Yellow-crowned 
Night Heron was added to our New England birds by Mr. Allen’s record * 
of an individual shot by Mr. Vickery in Lynn, Mass., in October, 1862, no 
additional specimens have been brought to light by the numerous enter¬ 
prising observers that are so thoroughly working up our bird Fauna. It is 
therefore with great pleasure that I am enabled to announce the occurrence 
of a second Massachusetts example, which is now in my possession. The 
history of this wanderer, so far as it is known, is briefly as follows: On 
the afternoon of July 30, 1878, Mr. George Cunningham — who resides in 
a rather densely populated part of Somerville, just beyond the line sep¬ 
arating that city from Cambridge — was attracted by a commotion among 
the Robins and other small birds in the orchard behind the house. Upon 
investigating the cause of this unusual excitement a large bird was seen to 
take flight and disappear over the adjoining fence. Shortly after this 
there was another alarm from the orchard, and it was found that the 
strange intruder had returned. A neighbor who is fond of shooting was 
called in, the bird winged, and after a sharp chase overtaken. It showed 
plenty of fight, and, to. use the words of its captor, “ chattered very like a 
monkey.” It was entirely alone, and had not been seen before in the 
vicinity. It was sent to Mr, Charles I. Goodale, our well-known Boston 
taxidermist, by whom it was finely mounted. Mr. Goodale first called my 
attention to it while it was still in his possession, and upon writing to Mr. 
Cunningham on the subject he very generously placed the bird at my dis¬ 
posal, at the same time giving me the facts above recorded. The specimen 
is in the spotted immature plumage, and is apparently very young, inasmuch 
as many of the feathers still retain the peculiar hair-like filaments which 
characterize the downy stage of Herons, and wh eh are pushed outward on 
the tips of the feathers that succeed. This fact, taken in connection with 
the date of capture, is certainly suggestive of a not very remote breeding- 
place, though the bird was perhaps old enough to have flown northward 
from the Carolinas, its nearest known brt eding-ground. — W. Brewster, 
Cambridge, Mass. 
* Am. Nat., Ill, 637, February, 1870. 
PbILN.O.C. 4, April, 1879, p. fSjh/Zi' 
The 8th (yesterday) an adult Yellow- 
j crowned Night Heron was shot. Saw this 
! bird and knew it myself. Is it not rare at this 
I season in this latitude? 
Frederic L. Small. 
Provencetown, Mass. 
[The bird above referred to was received by 
us shortly after it was killed, and proved to be 
j: a $. It is a rare visitor here and we know of 
but one record of a specimen being taken. 
1 —Ed.] 
9 & 0,2 VI. April. 1891. P. b V • 
rivn t oe or ax v 1 olac eus . 
Malden. Mass . 
A pair seen at the old Malden reservoir, 
then a small pond, between Malden and Med¬ 
ford line, in the breeding season in the 
spring (?June ) of 1393. One was shot and 
is now in the possession of O.D.Flood., for¬ 
merly of Malden, now of Leominster. 
Note furnished by Mr.John A.Farley on 
July 16, 1901. 
