3H 



THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



range, the birds being extremely tame even for this species. One flock 

 of eleven and another of about thirty were seen on Nov. 9th. 



White-winged and American Crossbills have both been present in small 

 numbers, two of the former being reported from Dune Park, Nov. 9th, by 

 Mr. L. L. Walters, and a few of the latter were seen at the Waukegan 

 Flats on Nov. 30th. 



Flickers and Goldfinches are wintering in small numbers in the Dunes, 

 both species and a Northern Shrike being seen in a small swamp near 

 Dune Park on Feb. 1st, by Mr. Sanborn and me. 



Ruffled Grouse are much more numerous in the Dunes this year than 

 usual, as many as eight being seen in one day's tramp, two individuals being 

 noted within a half mile at the Gary Steel Mills. They have also been 

 reported as on the increase from various points in southern Wisconsin, 

 perhaps due to a favorable breeding season. 



Herbert L. Stoddard, 

 Field Museum of Natural History. 



Chicago Area 



The past shooting season was 

 one of great interest to both 

 sportsmen and bird lovers. Of 

 course the big feature was the 

 abundance of waterfowl although 

 one must look upon this with a 

 little caution and without too 

 much optimism. It should be re- 

 membered that with the increased 

 drainage now going on at an 

 alarming rate (from the view- 

 point of the hunter and bird 

 man) the ducks are forced ' to 

 concentrate in certain places. 



However, there is no doubt 

 in the minds of the observing 

 that our waterfowl on the whole 

 are increasing and it can be at- 

 tributed only to the migratory 

 bird treaty act. An unusually 

 large number of teal and mal- 

 lards bred in Illinois the last spring; these were reinforced -by early flights 

 from the north and with them came many widgeon — unusually early last 

 fall ; blue bills came down earlier than usual, too. 



Most gratifying is the marked increase of wood ducks. These hand- 

 some birds literally swarmed in the overflowed timber along the Illinois 

 and hunters as a class did not attempt to shoot them. It is a fine object 

 lesson on what a few years protection will do toward saving a species. 



Exceptionally large flights of Dusky Ducks (Black Mallards) were 

 also noticed by Illinois sportsmen last fall ; they were in wonderful con- 

 dition which may also be said of all waterfowl, last season. The inland 

 duck shooting closed abruptly with the first heavy freeze but it continued 



Photo by F. N. Whitman 



SONG SPARROW 



