284 Ferry, Winter Notes from Southern Illinois. [juj k 



Syrnium varium. Barred Owl. — Two seen, and reported quite com- 

 mon by trappers. They are some times very annoying to trappers by 

 setting off meat-baited traps. 



Dryobates villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. — Tolerably common, but 

 much less abundant than the following species. 



Dryobates pubescens medianus. Downy Woodpecker. — An abundant 

 bird in this region. The males appeared to predominate, as five males and 

 one female were taken. 



Centurus carolinus Red-bellied Woodpecker. — Common. They 

 show a decided fondness for the tall soft-wood timber of the river bottoms. 

 The large proportion of decayed tree trunks in such places is the probable 

 explanation. 



Colaptes auratus luteus. — First seen February 23. Tolerably common 

 thereafter. 



Otocoris alpestris praticola (?). Prairie Horned Lark (?). — Two 

 Horned Larks, seen flying overhead on February 25, were presumed to be 

 this species. 



Cyanocitta cristata. Blue Jay. — Common. A disposition to imitate 

 the cry of the Red-tailed Hawk was manifested by the birds of this region. 

 An almost perfect imitation was given by several different jays. 



Corvus brachyrhynchos. American Crow. — Common. 



Agelaius phoeniceus Red-winged Blackbird. — Two seen at Mound 

 City on February 23. Quite common at Olive Branch on the 28th. 



Sturnella magna. Meadowlark. — Common, keeping in small flocks, 

 and wa,ry. 



Carpodacus purpureus. Purple Finch. — Tolerably common; feeds 

 on 'buttons' of sycamore tree. 



Astragalinus tristis. American Goldfinch. — Seen at Mound City 

 and Olive Branch. 



Zonotrichia albicollis. White-throated Sparrow. — Tolerably com- 

 mon. Once, song heard. 



Spizella monticola. Tree Sparrow. — Common. One evening about 

 dusk a flock of these birds was seen picking up weed seeds on the ground 

 when it was so dark the birds could scarcely be seen. 



Junco hyemalis. Slate-colored Junco. — Common, roving through 

 the woods or flitting about shrubbery in flocks. In one grove, free from 

 underbrush and where there was a thick carpet of fallen leaves, I came upon 

 a host of these birds. They were alternately feeding among the dead leaves 

 and flying to the nearest branches, where they poured forth their musical 

 trills. When thirty or forty birds were singing at once a most beautiful 

 medley filled the neighborhood. 



Melospiza cinerea melodia. Song Sparrow. — Tolerably common, 

 occasionally singing. 



Melospiza georgiana (?). Swamp Sparrow (?). — One undoubtedly 

 seen on February 24 in a patch of brown beard grass (Andropogon scaparius 

 Michaux). 



