<S Sherman, Carolinian Avifauna in Northeastern Iowa. 



Auk 



I a ii. 



while in others it is not found ;it all. Equally variable are the 

 numbers of the Dickcissel, Sputa americana, except that this species 

 \ aries from tolerably common in some years to abundant in others. 

 Misfortune falls heavily upon it; arriving late, incubation is still 

 in progress when the mowing machines begin their work. The 

 first nests having been destroyed the birds leave, then- apparently 

 being no attempt made to build second nests. 



The summer records for the Red-bellied Woodpecker, Centurus 

 carolinus, show that it has been found in every woodland ravine 

 visited, also found on one out oi everj three visits to its habitat, 

 indicating that it is not a rare summer resident. In April, 1009, 

 1 saw one that had wintered on a farm near Steuben, Wisconsin, 

 and the following winter two were hoarders at that plaee. During 

 the past winter in McGregor, Iowa, two Red-bellied Woodpeckers 

 came daily for food to the adjoining yards of Mrs. M. E. Hatch and 

 Mrs. M.'.V. Jordan. 



For the past two seasons the Orchard Oriole. Icterus spuria*, has 

 not been seen tin our plaee. In 101(1 an old male was here on three 

 consecutive days, and the same thing was true for three days in 

 May. 1007. None was seen in L905, nor in 1906. A female was 

 here one day in May, 100S, and on the 17th of that month a male, 

 wearing the plumage of the second year; appearing again on 

 June 1 was a bird of this description, which remained until the 3rd 

 of .Inly. Very similar were the records for six weeks or more of 

 the presence oi a second year male in the spring of 1903, also in that 

 oi 1904. Late one summer previous to the decade under consider- 

 ation a nest was found evidently built by an Orchard Oriole. It 

 was beautifully woven of green grass, which was still quite fresh, 

 hut as no eggs were laid in it. nor the owner ever seen near by it 

 was adjudged the " husy work" of an isolate female. 



In the past ten years there have been numerous accounts from 

 the Atlantic sea-board and westward of the northern advance of 

 the Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalxs cardinal is. Judging from these 

 reports it appears that this northward movement has been all 

 along the line of its range from northern Massachusetts to the 

 Mississippi River. Unfortunately the number oi observers in this 



region is small; if there were more this report of the Cardinal 

 might show that it is of more frequent occurrence. 



