246 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
the lake. I was looking for the Wood Duck, but not seeing any 
on the lake did not disturb the fowl there. In wandering through 
the woods I spied a mighty nest of large twigs in a tree on the 
edge of the lake. On my approach a bird flapped off, and 
I promptly shot it, when I found it to be a fine Red-tailed 
Buzzard; I skinned it, as also a Yellow-headed Grackle (?) which 
I shot. 
June 20th.—In the middle of June I was out at Plum Creek, 
thirty miles S.W., where I added a few birds to the collection. 
Amongst others I got three Phalaropes, a few Black Terns (of 
which there were large numbers), and a very good Bar-tailed 
Godwit, Limosa foeda, which I found breeding there. I also 
found numbers of Ducks’ nests, the eggs all incubated, except two 
Blue-winged Teal’s. A Black-headed Gull was following the 
plough just as they do in Northumberland. In the first week of 
July I noticed a flock of these Gulls flying round, screaming and 
coming quite close to where I was standing. They appear to be 
very like our English Black-headed Gull, but I did not manage 
to get a specimen for identification; they breed on some large 
lakes or sloughs round Portage. I shot a couple of Dunlins in 
Brandon one day, and so have added this species to my collection. 
The eggs of many birds which are considered rare in England are 
easily obtainable here, viz., Marsh Harrier, Shore Lark, Buzzard, 
Ducks of various species, Black Tern, Bar-tailed (Marbled) 
Godwit, Bartram’s Sandpiper, Yellowshanks, and many others. 
I shot a Killdeer Plover [A gialitis vociferus] about the second 
week in July, and took the eggs. 
August 5th.—The close time for Ducks and Prairie Chickens 
has been extended to September 1st, but I went out on the 1st of 
August, and shot a few Killdeer and Upland Plover (Bartram’s 
Sandpiper). I also shot three small Sandpipers from a flock of 
about a dozen; they are very like a Dunlin, but the breast shows 
no signs of any black feathers, and I have shot similar specimens 
in June; they are also smaller than the Dunlin. [They may have 
been Bonaparte’s, or Baird’s Sandpiper.—Eb.] 
August 25th.—H. had a day’s shooting about the middle of 
the month, and bagged seventy head, including fifty-two Ducks. 
I have reared a tame Bittern, a fine handsome full-grown bird 
now; he seems very fond of frogs, small birds, and insects; it 
takes me nearly all my time to supply him with food. On the 
