^'°\^f ^^] Cooke, Winter Birds of Oklahoma. 477 



the first duck of any kind to arrive in fall migration on the tanks. Ducks 

 were never common owing to the entire lack of marshes and permanent 

 water. When everything froze in January all ducks were forced to leave 

 the open prairies, but mallards were found along the Blue, January 12 and 

 they returned to the tanks January 31, at which time a few flocks of ducks 

 began to pass in northward migration. 



3. Chaulelasmus streperus. Gadwall. — A few flocks were noted 

 in the spring migration from February 19 to April 2. 



4. Mareca americana. Widgeon. — The first flocks in spring were 

 seen February 19. 



5. Nettion carolinense. Green-winged Teal. — The hardiest duck 

 next to the Mallard. It was seen in the fall October 6, and remained in 

 small flocks until all the ponds froze in January. It returned in a few days 

 and had already become fairly common moving northward by January 31. 

 A flock was seen April 2. 



6. Chen hyperboreus hjrperboreus. Snow Goose. — Probably no 

 Snow Geese wintered near Caddo, for they were not seen until spring 

 migration was well under way. Then on March 10, two large flocks were 

 seen fl5"ing north and they immediately became common, five large flocks 

 being seen in the afternoon of the same day. 



7. Branta canadensis canadensis. Canada Goose. — The first 

 goose was seen in fall migration October 10, and for the rest of the fall the 

 species was common flying over toward the south. None aUghted near 

 Caddo, but some must have wintered not far off for they were seen every 

 few days all winter. The winter of 1881-2, geese were extraordinai'ily 

 abundant near Caddo and hundreds were shot for their feathers, the bodies 

 being thrown away. The next winter they were rare and the same during 

 the winter of 1883-4. But this latter winter they were numerous a hundred 

 miles west of Caddo. Canada Geese were common March 3, 1884, migrat- 

 ing north againsi a strong wind, and flocks passed daily March 9-16. 

 A hard thunderstorm broke at 1 1 p. m. April 1 , and a flock of geese over- 

 taken by the storm, alighted in a dooryard at the edge of town. Hunters 

 say that this is later than usual for them to be present. 



8. Ardea herodias herodias. Great Blue Heron. — Three were 

 seen February 11, but they probably had not wintered in the immediate 

 vicinity as they are reported to remain only in the mildest winters and that 

 of 1883-4 was anything but mild. Not seen again until the regular spring 

 migration began on March 18. 



9. Grus mexicana. Sandhill Crane. — NaturaUy a bird of the open 

 countrj', the sandhill crane was a common migrant both spring and fall at 

 Caddo. The first, a flock of five, passed over November 6, followed on 

 November 11 by three large flocks that flew over southward with much 

 noise in the middle of the day. This was only two days before the first 

 norther of the season carried the temperature below freezing and brought 

 down manj- leaves. The cranes did not return until February 26, when a 

 flock of sixteen went slowly north in the late afternoon at an immense 



