44 Iowa ORxixHOLOdisT. 



settled up, the birds nested upon the iiplands as well as in the sloii^hs and when 

 the prairie was burnt over in the spring- thousands of egg's and even many of 

 the old birds were destroyed. After such fires I have seen as many as four nests 

 to the acre on an average. The eggs are sometimes used by the farmers for food. 

 The nests are built between the middle of April and tlie forepart of May. How- 

 ever the time will vary, owing to whether or not the spring is warm and dry. 

 The number of eggs in a ehitch varies from six to twelve, seven or eight being 

 the average number. 



The young cliiekens wlien hatched are beautiful downy little fellows, white 

 witli markings of brown. . They are ready for business as soon as they get out 

 of the shell, and the way they start otf on their little legs is surprising to say 

 the least. If the eggs are hatched under a tame hen the yoitng birds will pay 

 absolutely no attention to their new parent and as soon as they get a chance 

 they start off on a steady trot, with a determination to get away at once. Pick 

 one up if you will, as soon as you put him down, away he sties. I have tried 

 to keep them by putting tliem in a large grassy space in(4(^scd with boards but 

 it won't work. The little fellows will start that steady dog-trot and tliey'll 

 make a beaten path around tin inclosure in a few houi-s. They refuse to par- 

 take of food in captivity and of course their steady running soon kills them. 

 After trying all sorts of schemes to domestic^ate the Prairie Hen I liave lonii- 

 since given it up with disgust and common sense. 



As to how the chicks act when hatched under their natural parent I am 

 unable to say. However I have observed a mother hen with her chicks upon 

 several occasions. The mother lien in her habits greatly resembles our own 

 tame biddy. She liunts food for lier family of ten or a dozen and keeps them 

 around her with a peculiar "cluck" which differs much from the clucking of a 

 tame hen. If alarmed, the mother hen gives a quick, warning cry and like a 

 ttasli the whole family, mf)ther and all, will l>e scattered far apart and each one 

 will be snugly hidden in the grass. While the chicks are small and unal)le to 

 fly the family rarely leaves the tall slough grass. About July 1st the young 

 birds are able to fly short distances and they then betake themselves to the 

 fields of uncut grain. By Sept. Jst all the birds are c^xpf rt flyers and now dotli 

 the sportsman appear to work damage among tlieni. The flock stays together 

 until winter time wlien all the chickens of a neighborhood gather together in a 

 single flock. 



MANCHESTER, 1897, 



YOU WILL BE WELCOME. 



THE Iowa Ornitliological Association will convene August 11-32-].'], 1S97, in 

 the Congregational churcli at Manchester. Iowa. This, the third con- 

 gress, promises to be far the best attended, and tlierefore thv most interesting, 

 of any meeting ever lield by Iowa ornitliblogists. 



The congress will open witli an informal session, Wednesday morning, Aug. 

 11th, for the purpo.se of becoming personally acquainted with each other and 



