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VUL. 1 



(iARL.VM), MK., JULY, 1«90. 



NO. 5 



FaiibiiH bounty, Mimi' 



letter Ao. 2 



There are eiirht or ten species of ^urlew 

 aiidvSandpipers to be tound here ; I^;A^vk^ 

 are scarce ; Goklen IMover very plenty, 

 saw as many as 100 flocks in cue days 

 collecting:. Yellow-headed Black-bird 

 very common and here out number the 

 Red-wing. Some-times see as many as 

 twenty Am. Bittern in a days tramp. 



This W'^iuid be a grtind place for the 

 0(d(i<ri?t collector were it not tor the fact 

 that the farmers lake .special p aius to 

 burn all ;.M-as.< late in spring thus distroy- 

 i»g thousands of nests. I have found 

 immense numbers of Prairie Hens eggs 

 some of themcooktMl hard by the prairie 

 f res. A few yelars more of such late 

 tires, a ad there will be few of this species 

 left in this locality, once so famous as a 

 resort for hunters and sportsmen. 



A few Sand-bill (Varies are hiding in 

 the marshes whi' h is too low and wet 

 for the firits to catch. 



We have traveled over 100 miles ac- 

 ross prairies and have not seen as much 

 as one half section, of laud not burnt 

 over excepting an occasional marsh, hav- j 

 ing considerable water on it. Birds are 

 very plenty here and on the whole it is ' 

 a goo<l collecting ground as I haveever 

 seen , and the scenery and climate are fine, ' 



The White-ru r-pt Shrike. ' 



( CiftrJvded. 

 On the 23d. of April '90. my brother 



had the luck to see one of these birds cap- 

 ture a mouse. While plowing in the 

 field he plowed out a large field mouse 

 and quick as m flash Mr. Mouse Hawk 

 darted down and seized it by the u< ck 

 and killed it by beating it with its wv. g > 

 and then the bird actually twisted tl»e 

 mouse round and broke its neck. Wliile 

 this was going on a f^ield Sparrow 

 thought it its duty to help the mouSe ; 

 but the Shrike flew in triumph to the 

 hedge with its prey where he poceeded 

 to make its meal. 



The b'rd in question is about eight 

 iuches in length, with black beak firm, 

 ly set which is about 3-4 of an inch 

 long, slightly hooked at the point. Top 

 of head and back, light slate, broad 

 black stripes running from bill under 

 the eye terminating behind the ear, 

 throat, dirty white, underneath white 

 tinged with grey. Wings black, with a 

 white patch the shape of a diamond. 

 Tail of medium length, rounded. Three 

 outer tail feathers edged with white and 

 white spots on the inner web. 



This bird is quite common here ; some 

 stay over winter. Would be pleased to 

 hear more about this bird intheJJainc 

 Ornithologist andOologist. 

 Willie A. Br yon. 



New Sharon, Iowa, 



