An April Snowstorm 



[The following observations, made in April, 1910, were received too late for 

 insertion in the succeeding issue of Bird-Lore-, and were therefore held until they 

 could be published at a seasonable date. — Ed.] 



My Dear Mr. Chapman: Here, in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, on April 

 23, 1910, we are experiencing a snow of many inches depth, which is already 

 proving a terrible catastrophe to animal life of all kinds, and as yet there is 

 no sign of abatement. Yesterday we were picking lilacs and counting the 

 eggs in the nests of three Robins, now leaves and blossoms are frozen crisp 

 while one may judge of the state of the season Avhen I say that Woodchucks 

 and Gophers (13-striped spermophiles) have been out in abundance for more 

 than two weeks, and Tree Swallows, Chipping Sparrows, Kingfishers and other 

 spring birds were noted several days ago. 



As the hours roll on without the birds obtaining any sustenance, they are 

 becoming weaker and less able to resist the cold. A friend of mine caught a 

 Chipping Sparrow in his hand. A Robin has taken refuge in the front room 

 of one of the buildings, and a gray squirrel was captured in another building. 



It is pitiful to see, as I saw^ this afternoon, a band of six Swallows drifting 

 before the gale in search of insects. 



Nashotah Lake, where these observations are made, is about a mile in 

 length and less than half that in average breadth. It is situated together 

 with many other lakes, in Waukesha county, in the southern part of the 

 state. The lake is, for the most part, surrounded by open forest and pasture 

 land, a large part of the estate of "Nashotah Mission," within which three- 

 quarters of the lake is situated, being left in natural park conditions of hill, 

 swale, swamp and marsh, — grass, grove, wood and swamp growth. 



On the morning of April 24, we sallied forth shortly after sunrise, 

 to find a leaden sky and presently more snow, which stopped before noon, 

 however. We noticed that, unhke the actions of the birds during the driving 

 blizzard, they were now much more timid and active in every way, and vocif- 

 erous with their various songs and calls, — so that, as a companion remarked, 

 it sounded like the chorus which greets one when opening the door of an 

 aviary in a zoological garden. 



Moved with pity, we hung bones and suet about in the trees, but a later 

 reconnoiter of the lake in a canoe showed that this was unnecessary. The 

 waters of the lake, warmed by the preceding month of spring, were producing 

 multitudes of a large, mosquito-like insect, which everywhere were bursting 

 from their pupa cases and, benumbed by the cold air, were fluttering and 

 struggling with the strong waves on the surface of the water. Not only did 

 they produce provender for the large flock of various species of Swallows 

 which 'dipped' them from off the lake's surface, and for the Phoebes, which 

 made sallies in Kingfisher fashion, but also for the feathered refugees which 



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