196 THE WILSON BULLETIN— December. 1921 



draining of marsh lands in many places has driven them from some 

 of their old feeding and breeding haunts. 



Greater need is evidenced for the Government purchase and main- 

 tenance of large tracts of marsh lands, vv^here the birds would be 

 secure from molestation. Such natural asylums, it is said, are be- 

 coming fevi^er and consequently are affording less protection each 

 year, due chiefly to the large areas being reclaimed for commercial 

 purposes. The birds are quick to discover when they are in places 

 where they are safe from hunters. 



NOTES ON SOME FLYCATCHERS OBSERVED NEAR 

 MINDEN, NEBRASKA 

 After reading the article on the distribution and migration of 

 the flycatchers of Nebraska in the September, 1921, number of 

 the Wilson Bulletin, it seems desirable to place on record the 

 fact that in company with two other observers I noted a scissor- 

 tailed flycatcher here at Minden, Kearney County, in the spring 

 of 1917. I also found the crested flycatcher here in the spring of 

 1919, and the least flycatcher is a common migrant here both in 

 the spring and fall. The fall migration this year is much less 

 than I have observed it to be for many years. Mr. Mortenson 

 and myself saw a mockingbird October 28, 1921, which is much 

 later than I have known one to be here before. — II. Hapeman, 

 Minden, Nebraska. 



AN UNUSUAL EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE MAGPIE 

 IN NEBRASKA 

 Ordinarily the magpie does not move eastward in the fall be- 

 yond the 100th meridians, except along the northern border of 

 Nebraska, and records of its occurrence east of the 98th me- 

 ridian are few, usually not more than once every few years. The 

 present fall of 1921, however, has brought these birds in unusual 

 numbers into eastern, and even southeastern Nebraska. The first 

 report of the occurrence of the magpie in southeastern Nebraska 

 this year came from the rather heavily wooded Salt Creek bot- 

 toms in southern Lancaster County, south of Lincoln, during the 

 first week in October. Numerous Lincoln observers reported the 

 magpie from that region during October, usually but one bird seen, 

 except that Mi's. George O. Smith noted two birds on October 9. 

 The last date on which the magpie was noted in that region was 

 on October 23, when one bird was seen by Mr. N. F. Peterson. 

 On October 11 the magpie was noted by Mrs. John Loder on her 

 farm near Waverly in northeastern Lancaster County, and the 

 bird was present there until at least October 30, when it was last 

 noted. On October 23 Mr. L. W. Dawson of Lincoln, saw three 

 magpies near Weeping Water, Cass County, within a few miles 

 of the Missouri river. About October 29 a flock of five magpies 



