Bird-Life in Southern Illinois 



99 



the laurel oaks and a few red maples 

 still deep green. 



November 4. Temperature at 6 a.m., 

 53°; at II P.M., 50°. 



November 6. Temperature at 6.30 a.m., 

 48°; at 9 P.M., 60°. The coloring of the 

 woods has dulled perceptibly during the 

 last three days; the post oak foliage is 

 leather brown, and many white oaks are 

 now more brown than red; the leaves are 

 falling fast, and the hickories, sycamores, 

 persimmons, and ashes are mostly bare; 

 the green of some laurel oaks is changing 

 toward orange-russet, but the general 

 color of the woods is now brownish red 

 in varying tones. 



November 7. Temperature at 6.45 



A.M., 57°, partly cloudy, calm; at 5 p.m., 

 68}4°; maximum, 73°. A strong wind 

 from S. W. greater part of day, but no 

 rain until 6 p.m., when light rains, in form 

 of passing showers, but more continuous 

 during night, with much thunder and 

 lightning. A single flower open {the first) on 

 Carolina jessamine {Gelsemium semper- 

 virens); foliage of crepe myrtle and Ber- 

 beris thiinbergii now changing to scarlet; 

 that of flowering dogwood to duller red. 

 Some h\'brid tea roses in bloom. 



November 8. Temperature at S.30 a.m., 

 41°, overcast, raining slightly, with slight 

 wind from N. or N. E.; rain most of pre- 

 ceding night; at 1.30 p.m., 46°, still over- 

 cast. 



During the season of 1914 thirty-one species of birds nested within the 

 boundaries of Larchmound, these represented by not less than seventy-six 

 pairs, the list being as follows: 



9- 

 10. 



Mourning Dove 13 pairs 



Screech Owl 2 pairs 



Yellow-billed Cuckoo . .. . i pair 



Red-headed Woodpecker . . i pair 



Flicker 2 pairs 



Chimney Swift i pair 



Ruby - throated Humming- 



Bird I pair 



Kingbird i pair 



Great-crested Flycatcher . . 2 pairs 



Wood Pewee 2 pairs 



Alder Flycatcher i pair 



Blue Jay 3 pairs 



Cowbird i pair* 



Meadowlark i pair 



Orchard Oriole 2 pairs 



IQ. 



20. 



26. 



30. 



Baltimore Oriole i 



Bronzed Crackle 3 



Goldfinch i 



Chipping Sparrow i 



Field Sparrow i 



Towhee i 



Cardinal 2 



Indigo Bird i 



Maryland Yellow-throat . . i 



Catbird 3 



Brown Thrasher 3 



Western House Wren .... 8 



Tufted Titmouse i 



Carolina Chickadee . . . . i 



Robinf 7 



Bluebirdt i 



pair 



pairs 



pair 



pair 



pair 



pair 



pairs 



pair 



pair 



pairs 



pairs 



pairs 



pair 



pair 



pairs 



pair 



In addition to the above, the following would have nested on the premises 

 but for the Red-headed Woodpeckers, House Wrens, and flying squirrels: 

 Southern Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Bewick's 

 Wren, and Purple Martin. 



The total number of pairs nesting on the place would also haxe been much 



*A young Cowbird was seen while being fed by a Chipping Sparrow. 



fA large majority of the Robins which breed here are of the very dull-colored southern 

 form {Planesticus migratorius achrusterus); but occasional pairs are as bright colored as the 

 northern form, and I have no doubt really represent that subspecies. 



+ But for my energetic help this pair of Bluebirds could not have nested in the box which 

 they occupied, on account of the persistent persecution of the 'English' Sparrows. Before 

 the eggs were hatched something happened to the female, and although the male remained 

 several days, calling plaintively for his mate, a pair of House Wrens took possession of the 

 box, carried the Bluebirds' eggs out, and built their own nest. 



