Page:Auk Volume 13-1896.djvu/124

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88
General Notes.
Auk
Jan.

Dendroica castanea.—In the outskirts of the village of Flatbush, now a part of Brooklyn, on the morning of Sept. 24, 1895, a number of Warblers, chiefly Black-polls, was seen in a row of shade trees, not far from the Boulevard. Among them was a Bay-breasted Warbler, which was secured. It is an immature male with the buffy markings on the sides well developed.—William C. Braislin, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Nantucket and Muskeget Island Notes.—Falco sparverius.—Nantucket, Sept. 22, 1895, I observed eight American Sparrow- Hawks, in pairs, migrants; none noted before this season. Usually see a few about this time.

Asio accipitrinus. — Muskeget Island, June 2, 1895. Mr. John R. Sands- bury informs me that he discovered the nest of a Short-eared Owl on the northeast side of the island containing three young birds in the down. The nest was placed at the foot of a bunch of beach-grass {Ammophila arundinacea) and partially concealed. It was raised about four inches above the sand ; only one old bird was seen, it having been frightened off the nest. On July 7 Mr. Sandsbury and I saw one adult bird.

Symphemia semipalmata. — Nantucket. On May 2, 1895, Mr. Charles E. Snow informed me he saw five Willets at the Hummock Pond.

Totanus solitarius. — In the vicinity of the Hummock Pond, more Solitary Sandpipers have been noted this season than for a number of years. On Aug. 29, 1895, one female was taken ; on Sept. 9, three more; Sept. 10, another; on Sept. 29. I saw -.till another. They were formerly quite abundant, but are now scarce.

Ereunetes occidentalis. — -Aug. 29, 1S95. Four birds taken at the Hum- mock Pond, three of which proved on dissection to be females. These are the only ones I have observed here.

Macrorhamphus scolopaceus?—Aug. 29, 1895. A male bird (by dis- section) was taken at the Hummock Pond. This being a young bird of the year, it is next to impossible to certainly identify it. M. griseus is not uncommon here, but this is the first instance in which I have taken what I suppose to be M. scolopaceus.

Micropalama himantopus.— On Aug. 29. 1895, a female was taken at Hummock Pond. On Aug. 31, I shot another at the same place. This pond is a very large one. On Aug. 29, with some friends, aided by a horse and scoop, I dug a trench to the ocean, thereby draining it, hoping that the margins thus exposed would offer an inducement for some of the migrants to tarry.

Oidemia deglandi. — Sept. 2S, 1S95. Avery large flock of White-winged Scoters were observed on the edge of Squash Meadow Shoal.

Larus argentatus smithsonianus. — Muskeget Island, Nov. 1, 1895. The very large increase in the number of Herring Gulls in this vicinity has been remarked by all; nothing similar has been observed for years. The northeast point of Muskeget, as also the shoals about Gravelly Island, are covered with them in the morning, indicating that they roost there.—George H. Mackay, Nantucket, Mass.