22 BIRDS 



many a gallinule, coot, and rail, where many are shot by 

 pot-hunters lacking in sportsmanship. 



The large cities are revisited by various forms of sea 

 birds, providing there is a water frontage. During the late 

 fall, winter, and spring months Bonaparte's, herring, and 

 ring-billed gulls visit the shores of lakes and rivers, espe- 

 cially when these waters are navigable, to procure the 

 refuse. Wilson's snipe is again on the marsh, where his 

 flight taxes the skill of the best gunners. 



November leaves us with a limited variety of birds, most 

 of which are found in flocks. Robins still loiter in sheltered 

 places and the hardy meadow-lark lingers about his favorite 

 pasture. On a bleak morning we hear his merry chipper, 

 which seems a protest against snow and ice. Flocks of 

 mallards gorge themselves in the cornfields. The birds are 

 then prepared for a continuous flight of two thousand miles, 

 though they defer such journey as long as they can find 

 open water nearer. We have the mallard with us from 

 October to late in December. With January comes a gen- 

 eral freeze-up of his feeding grounds, so he moves just far 

 enough south to return at the first thaw in February. INIany 

 mallards reach Canada in JNIarch. Fiftj^ years ago we had 

 this noble game bird with us at least eleven months in the 

 year. Great flocks of prairie chickens are now roaming the 

 cornfields. Families have combined with others and these 

 flocks join larger ones until hundreds of birds have banded 

 together so to remain until April. 



Field and tree sparrows are sheltered along the road- 

 sides in the thickets and about truck gardens. A few large 

 hawks, such as the red-tailed, goshawk, and rough-leg, are 



