CORRESPONDENCE 247 



them. I think we are too old to change. All our associations are 

 east and to live here we should have to learn the people over 

 again which would be hard to do. 



I have had some interest in looking up the new birds of this 

 locality. Many are common here that we seldom or never see, 

 such as Evening Grosbeaks and Bohemian Chatterers. We see 

 them about the streets feeding on the mountain ash berries and 

 high bush cranberries. Last fall I went up to Dakota for a time. 

 One of my sons has a large wheat farm there and had a very 

 nice time. The whole country seemed full of wild geese and 

 ducks. We did not get many Prairie Chickens as we had no good 

 dog. I saw great numbers of hawks ; they were about in great 

 numbers and varieties, Rough-legged very common. Some very 

 dark ones — Red-tailed, Swainson's, Rough-legged and Broad- 

 winged were most numerous. Black Vultures and Swallow-tailed 

 hawks were common in northern Dakota. If I do not go to 

 California I hope to go up again in April and see what comes 

 along in the spring. I did considerable shooting last fall but 

 mostly ducks and snipe. I did not get any very rare birds for 

 specimens. 



The winter has been fine but cold. I have been south so 

 many winters I much prefer the orange groves to the snow banks 

 of Maine or Minnesota. 



This is a very nice place for business. Everything goes with 

 a rush — just the place for young folks. My sons like very much 

 and they think they would hardly want to live east. The place 

 has added forty thousand to its population since I was here three 

 years ago and property has doubled in value. I think it a good 

 place to invest. Twenty-five hundred buildings were put up last 

 year at a cost of $8,500,000 and about the same in St. Paul. Every 

 one is speculating in real estate and getting rich twice a week. I 

 don't find much new in the way of natural history and very few 

 that take any interest in such things. It is nothing but business. 

 I hope you have something new to write me about that you have 

 found in your section. There were three Evening Grosbeaks 

 just on the trees near the house and they always keep where you 

 are not allowed to shoot them. 



Sincerely yours, 



Geo. A. Boardman. 



