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 Nov., 1919 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 239 in the herbage on the bottom of a dried up pond, from which the water had long since 'gone. This was about a quarter of a mile from water of any kind. A careful search in different directions failed to reveal any more birds of this species, although there was a very extensive migration of land birds as well as water birds. In the stom- ach of one was the assembled remains of a good sized grasshopper, carefully dismem- bered, and I was surprised to find that even the coarse, prickly hind legs had been eaten whole. On the same day I walked up to within twenty feet of a flock of seven Pectoral Sandpipers (P/sobia maculata), an interesting bird on the Pacific coast, and watched them for ten minutes. They did not show the slightest fear, feeding up to within a few feet. Another interesting specimen taken was an adult female Black Pigeon Hawk (Falco columbarius suclcleyi), which completed my bag of three birds for the day.--J. HOOPER BOWLES, Tacoma, Washington, etember 11, 1919. One Reason for Eli,minatlng Subspecie.--In the recent discussion in the CoNvo1 on the multiplication of subspecies no one has put 'forward a reason against them quite so final as that quoted by Prof. F. W. Oliver in his life of Arthur Henfrey (Makers o! British Botanlt). Of this great exponent of the 'New Botany' Prof. Oliver says (p. 201): "He more than once expresses the opinion that there was too great a tendency to lump species in the handbooks to the Flora, and he urged on the occasion of the preparation of the third edition of the Lon5on Catalogue o! British Plants that many more forms should find recognition. The editors of the catalogue however successfully opposed the suggestion on the ingenious grounds that it would raise the weight .for postage beyond the limits of a blue (twopenny) stamp."--J. H. FLEnC, TOronto, Ontario, gegtember . 1919. A Tradition .Nearly Broken.--The discovery was made on the fourth of July, 1919. The writer in company with B. P. Carpenter and friends was searching for oological treasure on a small rocky island of the Coronados group off the coast of Lower Califor- nia. A number of petrel nests had been unearthed, each of which contained the tradi- tional single egg or young. But in.nearly every colony of nesting birds one finds some- thing unusual and this community proved to be no exception. An egg of the Socorro Petrel (OceanoSroma socorroensis) was removed from beneath the parent bird which was of unusual dimensions, measuring 1.50x1.12 inches, whereas a normal egg measures but 1.10x.85 inches. Upon blowing the specimen it proved to be fresh, and contained two yolks. Did not this bird have a set of two eggs started, and did not nature rather than have so time honored a custom broken provide but the one shell?raN. K. CXmNER, HOOPER BOWLES, Tacoma, Washington, gegtember 11, 1919.' Some Southern Records of the Horned Puffin.--Judging by the take of specimens the Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata) has been but a rare visitant along our coast. That this species may at certain times occur in considerable numbers appears to be evidenced by the note in the. May-June CODO1 (p. 128) by Franklin J. Smith, and by the following additional records. Mr. Wm. C. Bohrmann of San Francisco recently presented to the writer a splen- did photograph of a Horned Puffin taken at Mussel Rock, March 2, 1919. The bird was found on the ocean beach still alive, but unable to fly. Quoting from a letter: "I carried this bird in my pocket for a mile or so toward the Cliff House. Had figured that some night-prowling raccoon would get him if I left him' on the beach. But he lOOked so mis- erably unhappy that I finally decided to give him his small chance for life, and I let him go." Richard Hocking has furnished material for the following note: Mrs. A. S. Allen and Richard Hocking of Berkeler went to Montara Beach on May 24, 1919, to look for some dead birds seen in the same place a week before. Here were found eight Tufted Puf-