ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 37 



a big snowstorm came and I'm sure they suffered, although I 

 found no frozen ones anywhere about. 



February 29, while it was still very cold and the ground 

 was covered with snow, a huge flock of Redwings and Grackles 

 flew over my head, steering their way down towards the marsh- 

 es on Rock River. That was a little early also, as my records 

 say March 3-10. Spring never seems to be really establishd, 

 though, until I hear the shrill clarion call of the Meadowlark, 

 heard March tenth, rather late. I also heard a number of Song 

 Sparrows and a few pairs of Bluebirds, giving their little con- 

 versational song, always asking, "Do you — love me — truil-ly?" 

 There were few Robins. 



I had rather an interesting experience with the Tufted Tit- 

 mouse that day. I could hear his "Peter! Peter!" on one side 

 of me, and the echo "Beat it ! Beat it !" on the other, so I whistled 

 and walked along, and he followed me from tree to tree, answer- 

 ing me each time and finally lighting near me. I was delighted, 

 since he always seems to be a haunter of the highest tree tops 

 and continually fools me with his ventriloquistic powers. 



Port Byron 



Mr. J. J. Schafer sends in another of his interesting reports 

 from Port Byron in the Mississippi river region. 



The weather was very favorable for bird life here this winter. 

 During December there was snow on the ground from the seven- 

 teenth to the twenty-ninth. After that the ground was bare until 

 February twenty-sixth. During January there were twenty- 

 four clear days, and January 24 was the coldest day of the winter 

 the thermometer registering eight degrees below zero. 



Herring Gulls were numerous on the Mississippi River dur- 

 ing December, but there were not as many Mergansers and 

 Golden-eyes as last winter. January 10 a V-shaped flock of about 

 forty Canada Geese flew over our place towards the northwest. 

 Many coveys of Bob-whites were left over from last fall, and 

 on account of the fine weather this winter there will be plenty 

 left for breeding next summer. 



One Marsh Hawk was seen January 20, and Cooper's Hawks 

 were here all winter. One succeeded in killing and eating one 

 of our young chickens, but several weeks later it was shot when 

 it was eating at a frozen chicken which was lying in the garden. 

 It proved to be a male and was in very good flesh. Rough-legged 

 Hawks were here until December 11. After that none were seen 

 until February 1. 



Screech and Great Horned Owls were not heard very often 

 this winter. On the morning of January 14 a dead Screech Owl 

 was found in the basement of our corn crib, where it evidently 

 had starved to death. 



