132 



THE OOLOGIST 



The Brewer's Blackbird in Sherbourne 

 County, IVlinnesota. 

 On June 2, 1915, I closely observed a 

 pair of Brewer Blackbirds in a field, 

 six miles northwest of Elk River. 



On June 24, 1915, eight miles north 

 of Elk river I found about twenty or 

 thirty pairs feeding young. 



Bernard Bailey. 



The Ducks of Douglas and Northern 

 Charles Mix Counties, S. D. 



In times past, waterfowl nested in 

 abundance in this part of the state, | 

 but of late years they have gradually 

 disappeared with the cultivation and; 

 settlement of this country. 



The country is a rolling prairie, dot- 

 ted here and there with ponds and 

 sloughs. The largest and most popu- 

 lar resort for waterfowl is Lake Andes, 

 in Northern Charles Mix and about ten 

 miles from Armour. This body of 

 water is some thirteen or fifteen miles 

 long and affords very good hunting 

 for sportsmen from nearby towns. 



The following is a list of ducks ob- 

 served during the years of 1909, 1910 

 and 1911: 



Mergus Americanus — Merganser — A 

 rather uncommon migrant. 



Lophodytes cucullatus — Hooded 

 merganser — Uncommon migrant. 



Anas platyrhynchos — Mallard — Com- 

 mon migrant and probably a rare sum- 

 mer resident. 



Chaulelasmus streperus — Gadwall — 

 Usually a rather uncommon migrant. 



Marcea Americana — Baldpate — An 

 uncommon migrant. 



Nettition carolinense — Greenwinged 

 Teal — Common migrant. 

 Teal Querquedula discors — Bluewing- 

 ed Teal — Abundant migrant and fairly 

 common summer residents. 



Spatula Clypeata — Shoveller — Fairly 

 common summer resident. 



Dapila acuta — Pintail — Common mi- 

 grant and occasional summer resident. 

 First duck to arrive in the spring. 



Aix sponsa — Wood duck — Very rare 

 migrant. In 1909 I mounted a male 

 that was taken from a small flock but 

 leave no later records. 



Marila Americana— Redhead— A com- 

 mon migrant and probably a rare 

 breeding bird. A pair was observed 

 in a large marsh on May 30, 1911, but 

 no nest was found. 



Marila Valisineria — Canvas back — 

 Rather scarce migrant. 

 : Marila Marila — Scaup Duck — Mi- 

 grant. 



Claygula Calngula Americana — Gold- 

 en-eye — Uncommon migrant. 



Charitonetta Albeola — Buffle-head — 

 yRather scarce migrant. 



Erismatura jamaicensis — Ruddy 

 |Duck — Common migrant. 



Alex Walker. 



Johann Koren. 

 In yesterday's paper 1 noticed an 

 [item stating that Johann Koren had 

 [suffered the loss of hands from freez- 

 'ing while hunting Oological treasures 

 in the cold country above Alaska. The 

 world of science owes a lot to this 

 man. For years he has spent his life 

 hunting out the secrets of nature in 

 the far North. Many collections in 

 America are enriched by the speci- 

 mens prepared by him. He has lived 

 in Brooklyn, New York, recently and 

 did a great deal of work for John E. 

 Thayer, of Lancaster, Mass. I believe 

 that it was Koren who made the eggs 

 of the Spoon Bill Sandpiper known to 

 science. He also brought to Brooklyn 

 numerous eggs of the Vega Gull, the 

 different sub-species of Ptarmigan and 

 several of the extremely rare Sandpip- 

 ers. 



In the magazine published about a 

 year since was a long illustrated ac- 

 count of one of his adventures in the 

 Bering Sea where a companion tried 

 to kill him as they were crossing the 

 frozen sea and rob him of a rich load 

 of fur pelts. He prepared good speci- 

 mens and I have always found his data 

 to be accurate. He deserves the sym- 

 pathy of oologists in his great misfor- 

 tune. Robert P. Sharpies. 

 July 24, 1915. 



