^'"igS^T Reag.\.n, Birds of the Rosebud Reservation, S. D. 465 



wards that the Sioux, Hke most Indians, consider the owl the evil spirit 

 death. And that when it screeches or hoots it is calling some one to die.' 



54. Bubo virginianus. Great Horned Owl. — When doing research 

 work in geology in the Robinson Bad Lands in July I came on to two of 

 these birds sitting on a branch of a leaning red cedar back in a narrow deep 

 ravine. The birds did not see me till I was right under them. I tried to 

 get them for specimens for my collection, but as I did not have my gun 

 with me they escaped. I searched for a nest, but was unable to find any. 

 These were the only birds of the species seen. 



55. Speot3rto cunicularia hypogaea. Burrowing Owl. — These birds 

 are abundant in the prairie dog town districts. Peculiar for an owl, on 

 hot days they come out of their burrows and sun themselves, sitting usually 

 on fence posts if there are any near their places of residence. 



56. Dryobates villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. — This bird is a common 

 resident both in summer and winter. Both in the fall and in the spring 

 they are usually found in company with the Long-tailed Chickadee. 



57. Dryobates pubescens. Doavny Woodpecker. — A common resi- 

 dent. 



58. Sphyrapicus varius. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. — Rare. 



59. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed Woodpecker. — Rare. 



60. Centurus carolinus. Red-bellied Woodpecker. — Common. 



61. Colaptes auratus luteus. Flicker. — Very common. 



62. Chordeiles virginianus henryi. Western Nighthawk. — This 

 bird is one of the most common large birds of the country. I found a nest 

 in the potato patch. The female was on it when I found it. She dragged 

 herself over the ground, fluttered and squawked. At length I scared her 

 so that she flew. I then found that she had been dragging her eggs under 

 her as she drew herself over the ground. There was nothing, however, 

 that could be called a nest except a little hollowed out place. There was 

 neither stick, straw, nor feathers to mark the place. The eggs were two 

 in number and were of a dirty mud color. 



63. Trochilus colubris. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. — Common 

 in summer. 



64. Tyrannus tyrannus. Kingbird. — Summer resident; abundant. 



65. Sayornis phoebe. Phcebe. — I saw but few of these birds, and no 

 nests at all. 



66. Contopus virens. Wood Pewee. — A common summer resident. 



1 This Sioux belief calls to my mind an incident that occurred when I was among 

 the Apaches of Arizona. One morning an Indian came to my house and with great 

 anxiety said: "Me family all die." I asked if they were sick, supposing that 

 possibly they had the smallpox, as that disease usually proves fatal to an Indian. 

 " No," he remarked, " but an owl lit on me tepee last night and hooted. Me away; 

 me family in tepee. Me family all die before the leaves come again." And his 

 family did die within the year, his wife and three children died with consumption. 

 But it was not because the owl called them that they died. They kihed them- 

 selves drinking Indian whiskey and exposing themselves while they were under its 

 influence. But the Indian to this day will tell you that the owl took them. 



