242 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
wildfowl; my bag was made up of seven Blue-winged Teal, one 
Green-winged Teal, four Shovellers, two Pintails, one Mallard, 
one nondescript, two Bitterns, four Yellowshanks, one Coot, one 
large Hawk, one Grebe, two Black Terns, and a Grey Shrike. 
One of the Terns was in full plumage, with coal-black head and 
breast, back and tail grey, under tail-coverts and thighs white. 
We got a Duck in a rather curious manner. I saw a Falcon 
suddenly drop into a bed of reeds, so walked up until I got 
within a few yards of the spot, when he rose and I knocked 
him over; he had struck a Shoveller, which I picked up, more 
frightened than hurt. I could have killed any number of Sand- 
pipers, Yellowshanks, and Snipe, but as cartridges are precious 
here, I am obliged to be rather careful of my ammunition. 
September 1st.—Late in August I was out at Badger Hill 
for two days, and had fair sport with the Ducks and Prairie 
Chickens, getting eighteen brace of the latter. I also shot two 
large Hawks, a Woodpecker, a Grackle, and a Thrush. One day 
we drove within thirty yards of two Deer, but did not get a shot; 
on the same day we saw a two-year old Bear. The heat is still 
very oppressive, nearly as bad as it has been all through the 
summer; for the last fortnight it has been 114° in the shade. 
I saw the first flight of Geese this week (end of August) going 
south. 
September 25th.—In the middle of this month I was again at 
Badger Hill, and added to my collection two Peregrines, a 
Bittern, several small Hawks, and three kinds of Woodpeckers, 
and saw many other birds too numerous to mention. Bitterns 
were very common, and are capital eating. We had a few days’ 
fishing, and caught some good sized pike, ten pounds to twelve 
pounds in weight. The weather has changed considerably, and 
winter is fast coming on; the nights are bitterly cold, with hard 
frosts. Large flocks of Shore Larks are flying about Brandon, 
and small birds something like a Black Redstart. Of the two 
Peregrines I shot, one was when I was out looking for my 
ponies: I was watching a flock of Sandpipers when the Falcon 
made a dash at one of them; the Sandpiper at once ran into a 
pool close by and ducked under; of course the Peregrine missed 
his aim, but I did not miss mine. The other Peregrine I caught 
asleep on a tree! I got within 100 yards of a magnificent 
eagle one day, but had not my rifle near; on the same day I 
