Vol. XXI 

 iqo4 



I CuRKiKR, Saw flier Birds of Leech Lake, Alinii. T.'l 



small bird calls, and is not to be confused with that of an^- other species, 

 at least in the Mississippi Valley. 



5 J. Contopus virens. Wood Pevvee. — Heai-d every day we were in 

 the woods about Walker. 



53. Empidonax traillii. Traill's Flycatcher. — Two seen and heard 

 in the low thicket along the shores of the lake, June 5, 1902. I heard the 

 low ptveet of another May 25,. 1903, in the same place. The form here 

 may be referable to the northeastern form, E. t. alnoruni, but we did not 

 procure any specimens. 



54. Empidonax minimus. Least Flycatcher. — An abundant bird, 

 particularly in 1902. In that year, from May 26 to June i, thev were the 

 most abundant bird, the ckebick, chebick being constantly heard during 

 daylight. They were not so numerous after June i, but still could be 

 called abundant. In 1903 they did not appear in sucli numbers, hut we 

 heard and saw them every day. 



55. Otocoris alpestris praticola. Prairie Horned Lark. — I saw 

 but one of these birds in 1902, and in 1903 we saw none. The one seen 

 was near the Great Northern depot at Walker, June 5, after a shower. 

 It was soaring and in full song. The country in that section is not suit- 

 able for this bird, and to that fact no doubt is due its scarcity. 



56. Cyanocitta cristata. Blue Jay'. — Frequently seen and heard, but 

 not in such numbers as further south. 



I was told that the 'Camp-robber' {Perisoreus canadensis) appears 

 about Leech Lake in cold weather, but does not remain during the 

 summer. 



57. Corvus americanus. American Crow. — Common everywhere 

 about the lake. Several occupied nests were seen both years. One pair 

 in particular had our sympathy. They had a nest full of young in a 

 scrub oak standing alone out on the marsh, where several pairs of King- 

 birds, and thousands of Redwings were breeding. Every time a Crow- 

 made a move it was pounced upon by from two to a dozen of the smaller 

 birds and forced to light for a time. The Yellow-heads would also join in 

 at times, but they were not so persistent. The Redwings seemed to be the 

 worst. 



58. Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. — Only one seen near Leech 

 Lake in the two years. This was on June 9, 1902, at Kabakona Bay, and 

 was a male in song. 



59. Molothrus ater. Cowbird. — Very common in the clearings and 

 along the railroads, but were in greatest numbers in the town of Walker 

 and vicinity, where they were in Hocks of from 25 to 50, familiarly lighting 

 in the streets and roads. Eggs of this bird were seen in nests of Melos- 

 piza ciiierca melodia^ Melospiza georgiana, Dendroica fevsylvanica. 

 Seiurus anrocapillus and Wilsonia caiiadensis. 



60. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. — 

 Seen on all the marshes about Leech Lake, and there was a large colony 

 at Minnesota Point. The full plumaged male is a striking bird with his 



