OCTOBEU 1891.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



155 



badly incubated, but I succeeded in blowing 

 tliem nicely. This is the nest I found on 

 June 20th. The birds were then completing 

 the building of same; nest was twenty feet up 

 in a hemlock tree, aud out about seven feet on 

 end of bough, placed on the limb, with another 

 little limb, that shot out from the main limb, 

 close above it, completely sheltering and cover- 

 ing the nest. Eggs, two in number, with blu- 

 ish green tinge, speckled with reddish brown, 

 with a complete ring of dark red blotches 

 around the larger ends. Nest, outside of 

 pieces of dry hay and grass, small twigs and 

 pine needles; depth inside, one inch; breadth 

 inside, two and one-fourth inches; depth out- 

 side, two inches; breadth outside, four inclies. 

 J seen about nest .and viciiiity often; $ seen 

 on the nest and seen building it; both birds 

 seen and watched often. U. Auxten. 



In Camp at Twin Lakes. 



Seeing our trunks, camp stove and tent poles 

 safely stowed in the baggage-car, we boarded 

 the train, taking our grips and gun case with 

 us. [t was the "accommodation," leaving 

 Des Moines at 7.80, and due at our destination, 

 "Twin Lakes Cut," at IS. 30 o'clock, which 

 would give us lime to pitch the tent and get 

 settled before dark. 



But alas for our plans! The train was 

 heavily loaded with fi-eight, and the paymaster 

 was aboard that day. Arrived at the "cut" 

 at 20.10, just ten minutes ahead of the passen- 

 ger which leaves Des Moines at 15.:30; — no 

 station whatever, our baggage was dumped 

 out, and the train sped on, we gazing heli)lessly 

 after it, the sky overcast with black, threat- 

 ening clouds, the night dark as pitch, and we 

 three pilgrims alone on a wide praiiie, without 

 a light visible. 



'Twas out of the question to unpack and 

 camp there for the night, so, leaving our bag- 

 gage by a telegraph pole that it niiglit not get 

 lost in the tall grass, we tramped off down a 

 road crossing the track here, which would 

 eventually bring us to the lakes and the hotel. 



That was an awful walk. We were stiff 

 from riding over a rough track all day in that 

 caboose; then we could not .see the road, but 

 felt for it as we walked along, stumbling 

 around in the deep ruts, against the tall, bor- 

 dering reeds or ploughing through the sand. 

 That gun case got heavy, too, I can tell you. 



Presently we see a light ahead, and at last 

 approach a house lacing a large sheet of water. 



But we are informed that we have yet the 

 best of the tramp ahead of us, so off we go 

 again, the road now becoming less laborious, 

 and finally, entering a grove, are greeted by 

 the baying of several dogs and the lights of the 

 hotel gleam through the trees. A larger sheet 

 of water, partiallj' fringed by trees, lies in 

 front of us. 



After a cold supper, we retired to dream of 

 the fun ahead, — the sportsman, familiarly 

 known as " Les," of the game he will bag; 

 George, an artist, of the sketches to be made, 

 and your humble servant, the "bird stuffer," 

 of the specimens and skins he will procure. 



The next morning dawns clear, and after a 

 hasty breakfast I rode back with our host for 

 the baggage, which we find all right, and 

 returning get a good idea of the lay of the 

 country. 



Nearly all rolling prairie, devoted, where 

 cultivated at all, to corn and hay. Sloughs 

 abimnd. The hotel, a two-story frame, situ- 

 ated in a gi-ove on a narrow isthmus between 

 the two lakes, faces north at the south end of 

 the larger, on the bank of which we set our 

 tent in a grove, about half a mile beyond. The 

 other lake, around which we tramped the 

 night before, is somewhat smaller, being 

 northeast and southwest, its banks almost 

 devoid of trees. It is here the ducks mostly 

 feed, as we shortly discovered. 



After putting camp in order we cookeil oui- 

 first meal, consisting of frogs' legs, boiled 

 potatoes, bread and butter and coffee. 



Les and I secured a boat at the hotel and 

 went up the north lake to explore. Returning 

 along the shore, soon gathered a load of drift- 

 wood that lasted us until our departure about 

 ten days later. A warm supper of bacon, 

 fresh biscuit and coffee put us in the best of 

 spirits, — and thus ended our first day at the 

 lakes. 



We had been too busy to obtain any speci- 

 mens, but we saw that they were plentiful. 

 Ducks were abundant on the south lake and on 

 the ponds, as also several species of Snipe; 

 Hawks hovered over and around us continually. 

 Cranes and Herons common, besides many 

 smaller birds, such as Kingfishers, Swallows 

 and Finches. Gophers and ground squirrels, 

 with an occasiimal tree squirrel, common. 

 Skunks also plenty, but more about them 

 anon. The first and only specimen obtained 

 to-day was a Screech Owl, shot just at dusk 

 by our artist, near the tent. 



About two o'clock we were awakened by 

 unmistakable heralds of an approaching storm. 



