(15) 



16, '74; Humming-bird, May 16, '80. 



Under date Mar. 17, 1879, we find this note: "Earlier flocks of Wild 

 Geese and Brants usually make this a haltinjj^ place in both their northward 

 and southward passage and feed in the cornfields till the spring- or winter, 

 as the season may be, is more fully settled. Late flocks pass v^ry high, di- 

 rectly on, with no halt. This morning a large flock, verj' high, passed on 

 their return south. Very noisy and excited, yet with no delay. They 

 seemed to feel that they had been badly fooled and were returning to await 

 more springlike weather!". And under date of May 7, the same year: 

 "Very singular appearance of Wild Geese or Brants. Immense flocks of 

 many thousands going directly north, very high. The usual season for 

 this direct passage is from March 1st to April 10th, in flocks not often ex- 

 ceeding 30 or 40. But today the flocks often contained hundreds, and flocks 

 spread east and west as far as the eye could reach. They were passing over 

 for nearlv a half hour." 



ADDITIONAL NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE BIRDS OF 

 NORTHERN NEBRASKA. 



KEV. J. M. BATES. 



In 1896, I gave to Prof. Bruner my notes and observations on the birds 

 of Northern Nebraska, centering in Valentine and Cherry Co., and cover, 

 ing eight years. During that time, as since then, I had been reporting the 

 migration of birds to the Division of Ornithology at Washington, and 

 studying with the aid of Ridgwaj^'s Manual, Coues' "Birds of the North- 

 west", and such other helps as I could obtain without too great outlay. 

 Two years ago a lad in Long Pine High School, W^ill Smith, became much 

 interested in ornitholog}', partly, I trust, through my influence, and his co- 

 operation has been of great value in pushing the investigations. Several 

 of the birds enumerated below would have been still unobserved by me 

 without his assistance. I present here a few notes, chiefly in regard to 

 ranges, that will have some value in a revised edition of "Nebraska Birds", 

 and may have an interest for the present hearers. I will make use of num- 

 bers as well as Latin and English names, in case any present should wish 

 to open their books and follow me. 



4. Colymbus nigricoUis californicus (Heerm.) — American Eared Grebe. 

 Two were shot south of Long Pine, May 18, '99. b3' Will Smith. 



125. Peleca7ius crythrorhynchos Gmel. — American White Pelican. 

 June 5, '97, I saw 15 on a lake south of Wood Lake, Cherry Co. The sea- 

 son was very late, and perhaps that accounts for their delay in moving 

 north. 



139. Ncttion carolitiensis (Gmel.) — Green-winged Teal. Winters in 

 Cherry Co. Shot in January bj' Lieut. Stotsenburg, my lamented friend. 



147. Aythya vallisneria (Wils.) — Canvas-back Duck. Bred at Irwin 

 in '96 and '97, and Hackberry Lake in '97, the young being shot Sept. 1. 



151. Clangula clangula aniericana (Bonap.) — American Golden-ej-e. 

 Winters in upper parts of Long Pine Creek. Shot Dec. 10, '96. 



169. Chen liypcrborca (Pall.) — Lesser Snow Goose. Arrives earlier 

 than Canada Goose, often about Sept 4. 



