THE SUNNY SOUTH OOI.OGIST. 



35 



■ of a Blue-bird's, four or five in number, and pure, 

 glossy white in color. 



The Golden-bellied Woodpecker (Sphyrapicus 

 varius) is a rather uncommon bird, and is seldom 

 seen during the extreme cold weather. In ad- 

 dition to the general characteristics of the fam- 

 ily, this species is much addicted to the habit of 

 boring fruit trees in search of worms, etc., and 

 eventually this destroys the tree. In the forests 

 this bird chooses a locality in which there are 

 many birch trees, and it lives to a great extent 

 •on the insects, etc., obtained by boring the bark. 

 In early summer the sap flows freely from the 

 holes thus made, and attracts great swarms of 

 bees to the trees, they too thus becoming food 

 for the voracious bird. This bird is a little 

 smaller than the Hairy Woodpecker, and the 

 eggs are much the same, except being more 

 elongated; they number four or five. 



The Pileated Woodpecker (Hylotomus pilea- 

 tus) is a rare resident, and is the largest of the 

 family breeding in the State. About half a dozen 

 are seen here annually, and most of these dur- 

 ing the breeding season. They are very wary 

 and not easily approached with a gun. 



The Ruffled Grouse or "Common Partridge" 

 (Bonasa umbellus) needs no introduction to my 

 readers. It is very abundant during the early 

 fall in most portions of the State and is much 

 sought for by sportsmen; the flesh is by many 

 preferred to rabbit, quail or prairie chicken. In 

 the winter it returns to the deeper river bottoms 

 and there remains in comfortable solitude until 

 spring. It is an early breeder and many eggs 

 are deposited by the middle ot April. The nest, a 

 mere hollow scratched in the ground, and lined 

 with grass, is placed in some small grove or on 

 the banks of some small, wooded stream. The 

 completed set contains from eight to fourteen 

 •eggs, which are a brownish or yellowish-white, 

 with a few blotches and spots of light brown 

 irregularly scattered over the entire surface. 

 The young are able to fly in a few weeks, and, as 

 soon as hatched, run about and pick up seed and 

 insects like a young chicken. They are about 

 the exact color of the' dead leaves, and are not 

 very easily detected after they have once hid- 

 den. Pushing their little brown heads under a 

 large brown leaf, they appear to think them, 

 selves perfectly safe. The young are nearly full 

 grown by the time the fall shooiing fairly be- 

 gins. Partridge shooting is considerable sport, 

 and in this State is largely indulged in. 



Closely allied to this species is the Pinnated 

 Grouse, or common Prairie chicken (Cupidonia 

 cupido), which occurs here in still greater num 

 bers. In the winter, in company with the Part, 

 ridge, it retires to the deep river bottoms and 

 forests, and in early spring returns to the plains 

 and prairies. In early May, sometimes during 

 the latter part of April, this bird begins to pre- 

 pare for its summer's duties; first, by scooping 

 out quits a hollow in a ridge between two plowed 



fields, and then lining this thickly with dry grass 

 and straw. In this the set of from eight to 

 seventeen eggs are placed; the set is usually 

 completed by the middle of May, often sooner. 

 The eggs are generally from eight to thirteen, 

 but occasionally a larger set of fourteen to seven- 

 teen is formed. They are a brownish or dirty 

 white, sometimes almost cream color, rarely 

 spotted, and then only minutely with light 

 brown. They measure 2.00 by 1.45 inches. As 

 soon as the law allows, (the 15th of August being 

 the first day) from almost every city and town 

 in the State go hunting parties, and the number 

 of birds slaughtered on that day alone is simply 

 amazing; as a result of this day's shoot last year 

 over 500 birds were brought into this city. Few 

 hunters are there who cannot in a day bring 

 down twenty or thirty birds, if the day is fair and 

 if they are accompanied by good dogs. 



A once much more common species is the com- 

 mon Snail or Bob-white (Ortyx Virginiana). This 

 bird is small, being only nine inches long and 

 thirteen in alar extent. Dressed up prettily in 

 brown and black, with a moderate edging of 

 white, it is almost the color of dry leaves in the 

 fall and can not be eaily seen on this ac- 

 count. 



This bird is more lively during the winter 

 months than the Grouse, and in small flocks 

 wanders about all the time. Few are now found 

 compared to the great numbers that were to be 

 seen here years ago. Although they are not 

 hunted now to any extent, and although the set 

 is from fifteen to thirty, this species has not per- 

 ceptibly increased in numbers for several years. 

 The flight of this bird, like that of the Grouse, 

 is performed by three or four flappings of the 

 wings in rapid succession, and then by sailing 

 for some distance; this operation being rapidly 

 repeated, finally gives them a great speed. Its 

 most popular name, "Bob-white," seems to have 

 arisen from its peculiar call. Sometimes this is 

 changed, and we hear "More-whet" echoed over 

 the fields, and from this it is thought by many 

 to predict rain. 



This bird nests early in spring, and lays, in a 

 nest of grass placed in a meadow, from twelve to 

 twenty eggs usually, but sometimes a set of 

 twenty-eight or thirty is found. They are creamy- 

 white in color, very much pointed at the smaller 

 end, and measure .91 by 1.11 inches. After the 

 eggs are hatched, the whole family keeps to- 

 gether until cold weather. In winter this bird 

 lives chiefly in hollow trees and in cavities under 

 rocks, and travels a great distance after food. 



This completes the list of residents of this 

 State, so far as I have learned by observation for 

 some years. Although the descriptions are very 

 short, the aim lias been to give a general idea, 

 rather than a concise one, of the ordinary win- 

 ter and summer habits of these birds. 



George h. selovek, 



Lake City, Minn. 



