368 



Bird - Lore 



on August II, Mr. Burton Thayer met 

 with three covies, consisting of five, eleven, 

 and nine birds respectively. From other 

 parts of the state also come reports of the 

 same considerable increase, this fall. The 

 present year terminates a brief closed 

 period for the RufTed Grouse in Minnesota. 

 Next year will be an open season, followed 

 by a closed season, thus alternating odd 

 and even years as long as the present game 

 law remains in force. With this protection 

 half of the time and the return of rabbits 

 to their normal abundance (after the re- 

 cent almost complete destruction by dis- 

 ease), it is probable that our forests will 

 again be re-populated to a considerable 

 extent with this finest of all our game- 

 birds. The question of the simultaneous 

 disappearance of the Ruffed Grouse and 

 rabbits, even in protected areas, has been 

 much discussed. The rabbits have always 

 furnished an abundant and easily obtained 

 food-supply for the various predatory 

 mammals and birds, and it is reasonable to 

 conclude that the latter, in the absence of 

 the former, turned to the next most avail- 

 able quarry — the Grouse — especially in 

 the winter, and well nigh exterminated 

 them before the rabbits recovered from the 

 effects of the pestilence. Rabbits are now 

 to be seen frequently where, for several 

 years past, none were encountered. 



Minneapolis and Vicinity. — Septem- 

 ber I to October 15. The fall has been char- 

 acterized by mild and pleasant weather. 

 The first frost of any consequence occurred 

 on the morning of October 11, when the 

 temperature fell to 25 degrees, and vege- 

 tation, untouched up to this time, suf- 

 fered its first blighting cold. 



Various circumstances have conspired 

 to prevent the writer from going afield as 

 much as usual this fall. But, so far as can 

 be learned from others more fortunate in 

 this respect, there has been nothing espec- 

 ially noteworthy, except that the south- 

 ward movement of Ducks has been greater 

 than for several years past. Last year the 

 numbers were hardly 25 per cent of the 

 year before. The explanation of the pres- 

 ent abundance is not quite evident, unless 



it may be that the great drought in the 

 western Dakotas has turned the migra- 

 tion eastward and so into Minnesota. On 

 the opening day, Duck-hunters met with 

 unexpected success almost everywhere, 

 and the shooting has continued good ever 

 since. For example, at a small preserve 

 known as the Long Meadow Gun Club, only 

 ten miles from the heart of Minneapolis, 

 1 1 2 Ducks were shot on the first day of the 

 season, while only about 200 were killed 

 at the same place during the whole of last 

 season. 



On October 12, a large flight of Wilson's 

 Snipe passed here, and a wet meadow within 

 the city limits, visited by the writer, was 

 full of them. A week later they had largely 

 disappeared. Several Myrtle Warblers 

 were seen on October 12, probably the last 

 of the fall migration, as none was seen in 

 a walk through the same territory a week 

 later. — Thomas S. Roberts, University of 

 Mi)incsola, Minneapolis, Minn. 



Kansas City Region. — -Ideal weather 

 conditions have prevailed in this region 

 during late summer and early fall. The 

 year thus far has been as perfect in every 

 respect as an appreciative nature-student 

 could desire. A tremendous rain-storm of 

 twenty-four hour's duration during late 

 August, when the unusual precipitation of 

 six inches was recorded, seems to have had 

 no ill effect on bird-life. Up to the present 

 time (October 15) there has been no frost, 

 and the woods have only begun to faintly 

 suggest autumn. 



Three distinct waves of migrating Night- 

 hawks were noted between August 22 and 

 September 11, and so late as September 30 

 another drift of these birds was seen. 

 Migrating Baltimore Orioles were much 

 in evidence on August 24 and 27, and 

 great numbers passed on September 5. 

 This is a late date for moving bodies of 

 this species, although stragglers are often 

 present until after the middle of the month. 

 The first singing of the Baltimores, follow- 

 ing the post-nuptial silence, was heard on 

 August 9. On August 17, Indigo Buntings 

 were still singing. 



The usual August records of Arkansas 



