Xov. 1889.] 



AXD OOLOGIST. 



16^ 



Notes on Nebraska Birds. 



(Continued from page 172, Vol. Xlll.) 



281). Collnns vir(/inianns (Liuii.). liob- 

 wliite. Kesident: abnii<laiit. Begin layin*; the 

 last i»f April. Nest in a depression ou the 

 "round, generally in the gras.s on the prairie, 

 the grass at the edge of tliickets being a fav- 

 orite place, and also in the grain fields. 

 Xests usually composed of grasses, andied 

 over, with entrance at the side, but often found 

 in the fields after the gnain is cut, composed 

 almost wholly of the stubble. A nest ex- 

 amined May 10, 188'.>, was composed of 

 grass, arched over, with entrance at the side. 

 and contained 16 eggs, cream white; in shape 

 conical; average size. l.lilx.iHi. The Bob- 

 white was formerly more abundant in Kastern 

 Nebraska than it is now. Hunters keep its 

 number reduced, and during severe winters a 

 great many ])erish. 



■J9T. Dendr<i(/ai>iix ohfiritriis (Say.). Dusky 

 Grouse, (.'ollected in Black Hills and at La- 

 ramie Peak, Nebraska, in August. (Baird). 

 Probably breeds in the state. 



HO). lionasa nnthelliiti (Linn.). KuHed 

 Grouse. Kesident in Eastern Nebraska: not 

 common. In the early settlement of the state 

 it was quite common in the timber along the 

 Missouri River, but has almost disappeared. 

 Mr. Phelps, of Peru, reports seeing a number 

 in the timber near Peru, during the fall of 

 188S, and Mr. Gillilan saw a pair of them in 

 the snme timber in January. 188S. 



;}0r). Ttjtnptinurfins ainericfUiiiK (Reich.). 

 Prairie Hen. Kesident; common in eastern 

 and middle Nebraska. Begin laying the last 

 of April. Its favorite place of nesting is in 

 the thick grass on the prairie. The nest eon- 

 sists of a hollow scratched in the soil, spar- 

 ingly lined with grass and feathers. In tlie 

 early settlement of the state the Prairie Hen 

 was very abundant, but the breaking up of 

 the prairie has destroyed its natural nesting 

 place; the burning of the grass in the spring 

 destroyed countless numbers of eggs; and be- 

 ing a favorite game for hunters its number 

 has been greatly reduced. it seems likely 

 that it will .soon be exterminated in the east- 

 ern part of the state. 



;j07. Ti/iiipannclnis pallhlleiiirtiis (Ridgw. ), 

 Lesser Prairie Hen. Not on record as a Ne- 

 braska bird, but is given by Col. Goss as resi- 

 dent in Southern Kansas; rare. Is found in 

 Dakota (Mcf'hesney), and probably (»ccurs in 

 the state. 



808. Pedioicetes phasiancUm^ cainpestrix 

 (Ridgw.). Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. Res- 

 ident in Western Nebraska; rare. 



yoy. C'ciitrocercKs uropha.iianus (IJonap.). 

 Sage (rrouse. Kesident in Western Nebraska; 

 becoming rare. (Aughey). 



:>1(). MpleiKjvl.s i/aUopuco (Linn.). Wild 

 Turkey, in the early settlement of the state, 

 an abundant resident, but becoming rare. 



815. Ectophtes inlr/ratoriitu (Linn.). Passen- 

 ger Pigeon. Given by Aughey as abundant 

 during some years. 



816. Zenaidura macronrd (Linn.). Mourn- 

 ing Dove. Summer resident; very abundant; 

 arrive the last of March; begin laying the last 

 of April. Nest usually placed in the forks of 

 trees or the low branches, loosely constructed 

 of twigs, and lined with vines, grass, or leaves. 

 Nest also on the ground. Kggs, two; white; 

 elliptical to ovate; size, 1.12 x.tK). 



825. Cathartea aura (Linn.). Turkey Vul- 

 ture. Summer resident; common. Sometimes 

 seen during the winter. 



827. EUtnoldes foi-ficatnn (Linn.). Swallow- 

 tailed Kite. Aughey says, "Sparingly repre- 

 sented all over the state. In Dixon ('o., a 

 pair nested for at least four years in succes- 

 sion, on a Cottonwood on Badger Creek." 



820. Ictinin missisaippiensis (Wils.). Miss- 

 issippi Kite. Not on record as a Nebraska 

 bird, but is found in Iowa and breeds in Kan- 

 sis. May occasionally occur in the state. 



;]8I. Circus liud. son hit! (Linn.). Marsh Hawk. 

 Kesident; common in all parts of the state. 



882. Arripiter iiclox (Wils). Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk. Common winter sojourner in South- 

 ern Nebraska. Collected at Black Hills and 

 Bridger's Pass, Nebraska, in August, (Baird), 

 and probably breeds in the northern part of 

 the state. 



iV^'t. Acciplter rooperl (Bonap.). Cooper's 

 Hawk. Common summer resident. Begin 

 laying the first of May. A nest examined 

 May 16. 1888 was in the fork of a hickory 

 tree, about fifty feet from the ground, and 

 composed of oak sticks an<l twigs, lined with 

 oak and hickory bark. The nest contained 

 three eggs, in color pale bluish-white, showing 

 blotches of gray blue on closer examination; 

 size, 1.86 X 1.42; inform, short elliptical ovate. 



884. Actipiter atrirapillits (Wils.). Ameri- 

 can Goshawk. This binl has not been ob- 

 served by us in Nebraska, but there is one 

 specimen from Cummings Co., in the State 

 University collection, and Aughey mentions 

 dissecting one in August, on the boiders of 

 Dixon and Cedar counties. 



