172 AUTUMN NOTES IN IOWA 



the report came that a neighbor's wife had ahnost 

 stepped on a mink prowling about her back porch. 

 Possibly these "minks" were really creatures of 

 another species.) 



Otter. Found in Linn County during the seventies. 



Panther. ' ' Probably some time between the early settle- 

 ments and 1860 must have seen the departure of these 

 animals. ' ' 



Turkey, Wild. Professor Osborn speaks of this species 

 as extinct in the state, but Mr. Aldrich adds a note 

 stating that a fine specimen was shot in Monroe County 

 in 1904. 



Wild Cat. ''May be found at rare intervals." 



Wolf, Prairie. ' ' They doubtless occur still in the rough- 

 est sections." 



(This seems a very mild statement. One often hears 

 that they are holding their own or even on the in- 

 crease in some regions. The local papers every spring 

 report many bounties paid in some counties. While 

 picnicking along Eock Creek in Jasper County, about 

 1903, we heard the howling of a coyote, and were told 

 it was frequently heard in that vicinity.) 



Wolf, Timber. ''Yet to be found in small numbers in 

 specially favored places." 



(Local papers report timber wolves seen or shot 

 from time to time, but always mention such occasions 

 as rare ones.) 

 17. Thirty Towa herbs found blooming in October in 



northeastern Kansas: mainly at Lawrence, Topeka, or 



Manhattan. The figures indicate the last day of the 



