Vol i907 IV ] Ferry, Winter Notes from Southern Illinois. 283 



on February 26, and almost daily they were observed in varying numbers. 

 Horse-shoe Lake has several times been the site of an extensive duck- 

 roost largely occupied by these birds. An open space of water was fairly 

 covered with the birds' cast-off feathers. 



Branta canadensis. Canada Goose. — During cloudy weather the 

 sonorous honks of the Canada Geese could frequently be heard, but the 

 birds' whereabouts was a matter of mystery. They were probably flying 

 overhead, but they may have been resting on the Ohio River, or on sand- 

 bars, or in neighboring fields. In cornfields hunters had within a few days 

 been successfully decoying them to blinds by the use of corn, shelled and 

 on the cob. They are common in this region during migration. 



Fulica americana. American Coot. — Four were seen on February 28, 

 at Horse-shoe Lake. 



Oxyechus vociferus. Killdeer. — Ten Killdeers were seen on February 

 23 in company with a large flock of Robins and a few Meadowlarks, in a 

 wet field. Individuals were seen on February 25-27. 



Colinus virginianus. Bob-white. — Common, but each year the season's 

 increase is about killed off by shooters. 



Meleagris gallopavo silvestris. Wild Turkey. — Two hunters and 

 trappers, old residents of Olive Branch, reported a flock of 12-15 of these 

 birds in the immediate vicinity. Several Wild Turkeys had been seen 

 while the writer was in the neighborhood. The home of these birds is in 

 the thickly timbered river bottoms, or in borders of cypress swamps such 

 as are found about Horse-shoe Lake. They frequently resort to the 

 higher timber land or make visits to farmers' fields where they find a 

 scanty supply of last season's grain. Their scratchings are frequently 

 seen in the underbrush. They readily decoy to an imitation of their call. 

 They seek safety by rapid and noiseless running through the underbrush, 

 and take wing only in an extremity. A favorite place of concealment is 

 a bunch of mistletoe. 



Zenaidura macroura. Mourning Dove. — Two seen on February 27 

 on Cache Creek, and on the following day two were seen at Olive Branch. 



Cathartes aura. Turkey Vulture. — Fairly common at this season. 

 Not seen during the coldest weather, February 22 and 23. 



Accipiter cooperi (?). Cooper's Hawk (?). — Three pointed-winged, 

 long-tailed hawks, seen flying high on February 23, were identified as this 

 species with reasonable certainty. 



Buteo borealis. Red-tailed Hawk. — Several seen. One pair's inten- 

 tion of nesting were inferred from their frequent crying and their reluctance 

 to leave a certain portion of the forest. 



Haliseetus leucocephalus. Bald Eagle. — Occasionally seen about 

 Cairo, near the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. An immature bird was 

 killed about the middle of January near Hough, Mo., thirty miles distant, 

 where the man who showed me the bird in the flesh reported that the 

 birds were abundant. 



Falco sparverius. Sparrow Hawk.— One seen on February 26. 



