Non-Breeding Birds 123 
Subdivision a small field of ungathered corn provided an endless 
resource of soft, rain-soaked and sprouting food. Here, in July, 
hundreds gathered, and a journey across the field would be 
accompanied by intermittent, sharp staccatos of wing whistlings 
as flock after flock arose. The Mourning Dove is not a common 
breeding bird in Northern Illinois, indeed, not a single nest was 
located in four years in the vicinity of Evanston. It is probable 
then that these birds, so numerous here, were coming from breed- 
ing grounds many miles away and from many diverse localities, 
to these unusually prolific feeding areas, since they appeared in 
small fiocks through the spring and summer. The fact that no 
young birds were noted, even in July, further enforces the view- 
point of their distant journeys. 
Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. The subdivisions were hunt- 
ing grounds for the Marsh Hawks, but they did not breed there 
though possibly they did so in the weedy marsh to the south. 
This hawk was noted first on March 19, 1926, and regularly, 
though not daily, from that time until May 2. 
Falco sparverius sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. This little 
falcon nestled in a woodland northwest of the subdivisions and 
hunted over this area almost daily. Perhaps it may be held 
accountable for some of the destruction of nestling Larks. The 
hawk was seen November 25, 28, 1925, January 28, February 7 
and 28, 1926, and very frequently from that time on during my 
visits to the area. 
The adult Larks showed no fear of the Sparrow Hawk, but 
when once it alighted near a Lark nest the birds ceased feeding 
their young for a period of more than thirty minutes during 
its stay and complained vociferously the while. 
Asio flammeus. Short-eared Owl. Observed on the Main 
Subdivision, October 25, 1925. First observed in 1926 on April 
16, a day of considerable migration, apparently, for three were 
noted. One was flushed April 29, one again April 30, and the 
last noted was hunting over the area, about sundown, on June 28. 
It is probable that the short-eared Owl was no factor in the 
economy of the Lark, first because it did not breed near, appar- 
ently, and secondly because it was probably not eating b 
A few pellets examined (April 20) contained fish scales and fish 
mes only. 
Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed Woodpecker. The 
