216 General Notes. [^^^ 



Breeding Records from Southern Illinois. — In connection with Bio- 

 logical Survey field work during the season of 1909 I visited a number 

 of localities in southern Illinois and among the bird notes gathered on this 

 trip the following seem to be worthy of record . 



Rallus elegans. King Rail. — At Shawneetown, June 18, a King Rail 

 was seen a nmnber of times around a small marshy pond in the river 

 bottoms. It was quite tame and ran about near me, uttering a loud keck- 

 keck. After walking about in the grass awhile I started two young ones, 

 which doubtless explains the tameness of the parent. 



Buteo lineatus. Red-shouldered Hawk. — Several pairs breed in the 

 swamps at Olive Branch. A female collected there on May 18 is referable 

 to the typical subspecies. 



Strix varia. Barred Owl. — An adult female was collected at Olive 

 Branch, May 18. 



Dryobates villosus auduboni. Southern Hairy Woodpecker. — Fairly 

 common in the swamps at Olive Branch where a specimen was collected 

 May 17. This form has not previously been recorded from Illinois. 



Sturnella magna argutula. Southern Meadowlark. — This subspecies 

 is common throughout southern Illinois; a specimen was taken at Olive 

 Branch. 



Chondestes grammacus. Lark Sparrow. — This bird is of very local 

 distribution in southern Illinois; it was seen only between Cobden and 

 Lick Creek, where several pairs were noted May 22. 



Lanius ludovicianus migrans. Migrant Shrike. — Shrikes are quite 

 scarce in the extreme southern part of the State, but are rather common 

 on the prairies about Coulterville. A specimen taken there and one at 

 Odin are referable to migrans. One was seen at Olive Branch and two 

 at McClure. 



Helinaia swainsoni. Swainson's Warbler. — This bird was observed 

 several times at Olive Branch (May 15-20) and at Reevesville (June 21, 22) 

 but unfortunately no specimens were secured. The birds were identified 

 first by their songs and later by the aid of a field glass. — Arthur H. 

 Howell, Washington, D. C. 



Notes from Eastern Ohio. — On February 6, 1905, when the temperature 

 was unpleasantly close to the zero mark, a Holboell's Grebe was brought 

 to me by several boys to identify. They had picked it up in an alley in 

 an exhausted condition. The boys took it up to the Court House tower 

 and pitched it out into space, expecting to see it take wing and fly away, 

 but the popr bird fell upon the roof of the building and, rolling ofi, struck 

 the ground and was killed by the fall. 



On May 11, 1909, while taking a few minutes in the evening to look for 

 Warblers in my favorite woods, I encountered my first Prothonotary 

 Warbler. It flew directly at me, avoiding my face by a few inches, and 

 lit almost at my feet. For fully twenty minutes I had the pleasure of 

 studying it at close range. 



