FOREST AND STREAM 
But Iris Bong was a feeble effort; his heart was not in it, 
lor lie felt us lonely as Ihe rest of us, "We saw that it 
was a failure, hut said nothing. The mosquitoes, how* 
ever, soon made it lively for us. They came in swarms, 
hut we put on our head nets of gauze and defied them. 
During the night they caused some of the horses to break 
loose, but the dogs, ever watchful, alarmed the drivers, 
who secured them. The pointer Don, who was nearly 
bald, had bis head so bitten that it resembled an inflamed 
nutmeg grater the next morning. The drivers also suffered 
severely'. This was the only night that we experienced any 
inconvenience from this cause, however, and this was 
owing to our close proximity to the slough, 
Wednesday, August 18 th .—All hands were up by daylight. 
Breakfast was dispatched, camp broke, and we were packed 
up and on the road by seven o’clock A. 11. Major and 
Bhot were ranging, and about half a mile beyond the 
slough struck a scent, and were soon trailing ilie birds.* 
This we thought a little strange, as we had not seen a grain 
neld since the previous morning. The dogs, however, 
were soon on a point. We got out of the wagons, anil 
had very fine sport "for an hour, finding three large coveys. 
We again clambered in, and proceeded onward. Soon we 
perceived grain fields in the distance, ahead of us, but, 
what seemed strange, we could see no houses. As we 
dru.w nearer we observed near each stubble field what 
seemed to be a green mound. On the top of some of them 
wo saw children intently gazing upon us as we approached. 
These mounds we found to be sod houses. We were now 
in what is known as the “Sod Settlement,” the settlers 
being Swedes. The houses are constructed by "digging a 
few leet into the ground, putting in a rude frame of posts 
and rafters, roughly boarding it, and, on the outside id all, 
patting a layer or wall of sod three feet thick. This makes 
a warm house, uud affords a good protection against the 
fierce blasts of the Winter. There is a well-worn path 
running from the door up to the top or ridge of the house. 
This path .is made by the occupants, who, upon the ap¬ 
proach of anything strange across the prairie, run up like 
so many gophers to their post of observation. We now 
began to see the effects of the grasshoppers, in burned 
grain fields and impoverished crops. (Still, the present 
wheat crop is very fair. For two years past the crops 
have beeu utterly destroyed in this section by the ravages 
of the “hopper-" We hunted faithfully through this set¬ 
tlement, hut did not bug a siugle ehickeu. What coveys 
we saw were not half grown, being second broods, so that 
we did not wasLe a single cartridge. The few old birds we 
likewise mercifully spared- We ascertained that many of 
the nests were destroyed in the Spring by burniug over the 
prairies to destroy the grasshoppers, and that most of the 
broods which hutched were destroyed by a terrible hail 
storm soon after. We were informed by an intelligent 
young Bwetje that the farther wc went the fewer grouse 
we wouldfind; that we were five miles from Birch Cooley, 
and nine miles from Beaver Falls- We also ascertained 
the unpleasant fact thatoue of the horses had quite a sore 
breast, and one in the other team was rapidly becoming 
demoralized. We held a council, and decided to take a 
cold lunch, feed and water the horses, rest an hour—it 
being now ten A. M.— then take the back track. Accord¬ 
ingly, at eleven A. M. we lit our pipes, turned our faces 
eastward, and stalled outlie return trip, regretting that we 
could not yisil Yellowstone tins season. When we arrived 
within a mile ot Nine Mile (Slough we let out half of the 
dogs and were soon among the grouse. By the time the 
schooner came along we had bagged about fifty. Dave 
was instructed to lollow on and make Preston lakes that 
night it it look till midnight. We again started, passed 
the slough without a regret, and reached Buffalo Lake 
about suuset, where we had a clatter at the ducks, securing 
seven. Alter watering the horses we continued our jour¬ 
ney, and finally reachetl Preston Lakes at eight P. M. We 
made arrangements to stop for the night with Mr, Allison 
1.1 ouck, the postmaster, who lives near the lake, and who 
will accommodate sportsmen with good quarters and royal 
fare. We found here a party of tinee* sportsmen, among 
"whom was Dr. L. After supper we all adjourned to the 
verandah, where, . under the glorious harvest moon, we 
‘■filled the night With music,” Mr. Houck’s two daughters 
■ joining in me chorus. Wc had duetts, quartettes, aud 
choruses. The songs we sung have been rendered more 
harmoniously, and by far better voices, hut certainly not 
with more zest aud unction, or to a more appreciative au¬ 
dience than on this occasion. What a contrast to the 
night before at Nine Milo (Slough! About eleven o’clock 
rite white sail of the schooner was observed “in the off¬ 
ing,’’-slowly toiling along. Good night was said, and we 
all turned in happy and joyous. 
■ Thursday, August 1! )tk .—Alter a most refreshing night’s 
bleep, and a good lueakiast piepared by our good-natured 
hostess and hor daughters, we bade them adieu aud left at 
seven A. M. Passing between the lakes, we took the road 
northeast toward the village of Hutchinson, on the Has- 
san River, and founded by old Asa Hutchinson, of the 
once lamous “Hutchinson Family” of vocalists. We are 
now traversing a splendid chicken country—a fine rolling 
prairie, with grain fields on the higher ground, and sloughs 
tying between. After a morning of right royal sport, we 
camped at noon at the forks of a road, one leading to 
liutchiiioou, the other to Glencoe, via Lake Marion. W r e 
designate this as "Camp Broadaxe.” Ac three o’clock we 
leave Dave in charge of the camp, and again go for the 
grouser 'The two wagons started off in contrary direc¬ 
tions. Our load consisted of Jim, Mac, and myself, with 
the Yankee driver, the other of Crip, Cal, and Charley, 
with the Swede. Our squad had fine success, and arrived 
at camp at dusk, singing merrily. We were loudly wel¬ 
comed by the ‘others, who had already returned, aud who 
seemed to he unusually anxious to know what we had 
bagged, looking very mysteriously the while. We counted 
out thirty-eight chickens and a few ducks. We outnum¬ 
bered them on grouse, hut they solemnly conducted us to 
the back of the tents aud said “Behold I” There lay side 
by side, stretched out ip their utmost extent, three immense 
Canada geese, the largest weighing fourteen pounds after 
being drawn. “We are all right on the goose!” chuckIpd 
Cal. "How is this lor high?” asks Crip. "Everything is 
lovely and the goose liOuks high!” rejoined Charley. “Well, 
boys,” said M-ae, “it appears that you were on a wild goose 
chase, while we aLtended to legitimate business,” They 
said nothing more, but Charley began whistling the “Old 
Grey Clouse-..’’ We Were now, fortunately, summoned to 
supper; and wluit a supper! David bad outdone himself, 
aud put Delmonico to the blush, in the estimation of our 
appetilea. After supper two men appeared and invited us 
Over lb a neighboring house to participate in a prayer 
meeting, but we respectfully declined, and soon after wore 
peacefully snoring, 
Friday, August 20 th .—Breakfast over, we divided into 
two parties as before, and bunted for two hours with the 1 
most gratifying results. As" we were returning to camp. 
Flora and Don were ranging along the edge of a stubble, 
the day being now very hot, and dry, when a covey got up 
under Flora’s nose and sailed away across a slough. As 
Flora stood watching litem, looking very sheepishly, with 
her bob-tail standing out straight, Jim shouted—“A bob- 
tail flush, by Judas!” Flora uud Dou came Sneaking Un¬ 
der the wagon, when we took them in and started on. The 
dogs were beginning to show the effects of hard work, 
though they had been worked alternately, and been well 
cared for. Returning to camp, we are soon joined by the 
other party, who had also made a good bug. Togei her, 
we counted out sixty-live grouse, with a slight sprinkling 
of ducks. After d’imter we broke camp and started for 
Glencoe, via Lake Marion. Our - route lay through a most 
beautiful farming country, and the pinnated grouse were 
more plentiful than we had yet found them, but we were 
obliged to push on in older to reach Glencoe that night. 
We passed Otter Lake, of a cruciform shape, with a long, 
heavily-wooded islaud in the centre. Two Of the dogs are 
ranging, and we get a number of shots from the wagon 
while .driving along the road. We are soon in sight of 
Lake.Emma, and a few miles further ou we came to Lake 
Marion, our first catnpiug ground. We gaze upon its pure 
waters with feelings of pleasure, and leave the site of our 
camp with regret, like parting with an old lriend. But 
we have no time to tarry. We must catch the morning 
train, or lie over until Monday. Toward sunset we try the 
stubbles with good success, aud reach Glencoe at nine P. 
M. The other wagou soon came in, the schooner arrived 
some two hours later, and our week’s spotl is ended. We 
have been extremely fortunate, having had magnificent 
weather, no accidents, no sickness, and uo unpleasantness 
of any kind. Wc are indebted to our friends for the most 
delightful week we ever spent in the field. The country 
lying between Glencoe, Lake Marion, and Hutchinson fur¬ 
nishes the best pinnated grouse shooting I have ever seen. 
This sdetion, together with portions of Bouthern Mining 
sota, in the vicinity of Austin, Albert Lea, and Blue Earth" 
City, was by far the beat shooting grounds in the North¬ 
west lust Summer. We arrived at Bl. Paul on Saturday 
night, and on Sunday we hade adieu to our friends and 
started for home, completely rejuvenated, and feeling that 
we had obtained a new lease ot life. 
We are under obligations to S, 8. Merrill, Esq., J. C. Gault, 
Esq., and A. Y. Hi Carpenter, Esq,, of the C. M. aud St. 
P. Railway, audio John F. Lincoln, Esq., of the S. C. 
and St. P. It. R., for favors conferred, aud also to the con¬ 
ductors and baggagemen of the above roads for their kind¬ 
ness, and consideration of the comfort of ourselves aud 
dogs. _ OconomowOC . 
Snturnl '§islorg. 
| 'thin Department is now under the charge of a competent Naturalist , 
Indorsed by i tie SmXtk-oman Institution, and will henceforth. be made a 
simciui /eutuiv of this paper. Alt communications, notes, queries, re¬ 
marks, arid seasonal observations will receive careful attention .] 
WINTE.R HABITS OF BUZZARD HAWKS. 
D URING the last two Winters I have had a fine oppor¬ 
tunity for studying the habits of three of the larger 
species of our buzzard hawks—the Red-tail {Buteo borealis), 
the Red-shouldered {Buteo linaatus ) and the Rough-legged 
{ArcJubUlus lagopus). The two former are usually de¬ 
scribed together by -authors as identical iu habits, cry, etc., 
but I have found Uiem to differ essentially. The red-tailed 
hawk is a bird of the open districts. All day long it sits 
erect upon some detached eliix in the meadows, or occa¬ 
sionally on.the edge of a little oak grovfi, over a spring run" 
On the sheltered side of a hill, evidently watching the 
ground beneath. If it perceives a mouse or other small 
quadruped, its glides swiftly dowuwards with half-closed 
wings; then, with extended wings aud raised claws, seizes 
its prey. Frequently, as it spies its would-be victim mak¬ 
ing off, it runs clumsily with flapping wings in pursuit, and 
eagerly strikes again, hut iu this secoud attempt 1 have 
raroly seen it succeed. Bometimcs you see one sittiug fur 
a long time motionless aud erect in the tall grasB, watching 
like a cat, or perhaps walking slowly wiLh a sidelong mo¬ 
tion. At this season i't feeds exclusively on mice and rats; 
in early Spring ou toads, frogs, snakes, and the like. I 
doubt if it ever uttaeks birds, for iu about a dozen speci¬ 
mens examined at different seasons I have never been able 
to detect any of their remains; nor have I ever Been it pur¬ 
sue one. Occasionally a wounded quail or snipe may fall 
a prey, but such caBesmust-be"5-are. A mouse, when seized, 
is divided into two, a rat into three .or four parts, aud bolt¬ 
ed—skin, bones, and all. By noon both crop and stomach 
are full, and the bird removes to some high perch where it 
may remain undisturbed, or betakes itself to sailing iu most 
graceful circles high up iu the sky. 
Its flight is slow and ratjier heavy, but its atrial revolu¬ 
tions extremely majestic and beautiful. Moving from one 
place to another, >t proceeds in a straight course with three 
or four deliberate flaps of Hie wiugs, followed by an inter¬ 
val of sailing. When about to alight, it shoots upward in 
a cycloid curve, drops its feel to a branch, and closes its 
wings, frequently without a siugle flap. Thus 1 have seen 
it swoop down from uu immense height, and then, almost 
grazing the ground, sweep upward aud alight without a 
perceptible effort. It never hunts its ground on wing, or 
drops upon its prey directly from the air. It frequents two 
or three favorite perches in the same field day after day; 
and ordinarily you may easily approach it in a wagon, pro¬ 
vided you do not do so directly, hut draw near m a circle. 
You must, however, be ready to shoot the instant your 
horse stops, for that instant the bird will certainly take 
wing. Should yon nriss, or even slightly Wound it, it may 
move only a few bundled yards, aud you can frequently 
drive up again within range; tor it seems to apprehend no 
danger unless you are on foot, when few birds are mot, 
systematically shy. 
The only cry which I can with certainty refer to this spe¬ 
cies is a large scream like the syllables cree-ee, cree-e-e})/ re¬ 
peated five or six times, and very different from the shrill 
wheeco! of the red-shouldered hawk so often mimiclttfid by 
the jays. It is my impression that this species is of much 
rarer occurrence in the neighborhood of Cambridge, Maes., 
in the breeding season, Ilian is usually supposed. 
Often confounded with the above is the red-shouldered 
hawk. This species haunts in the autumn the edgeB of 
swampy woods adjoining meadow land, or sits for horns 
at a time upon some lofty oak or hickory that towers above 
the surrounding forest. During the Spring, Summer, and 
early Fall it keeps Within the woods, rarely coming out of 
llieir shadow, except to make some distaut journey, or soar 
aloft in those vast serial circles characteristic of the family. 
I have never beenfortunateenough to see it strike its prey; 
but I judge that its motions are more rapid and dashing 
than those of B. borealis, and I also Buspect that it preys 
more ou larger animals and birds, although it is nearly as 
sluggish as its congener. The reil-sliouldered may at all 
limes be'distinguishedfrom the Ted-tailed hawk. Its small 
size is veiy apparent, while on the perch its red breast, and 
whitish bars on its tail, while in the air, are very conspic¬ 
uous. When startled from its perch it flies for a lew 
hundred yards with quick, powerful, continued flapping of 
Brewings, like the domestic pigeon; it then proceeds more 
leisurely. Its loud whistling whe-eoj whe e-ol is the only 
note I have ever heard, and is not to be confounded with 
tire ery of any other New England liawk. It is much less 
common iu the vicinity of Cambridge Ilian the former, af¬ 
fecting more densely wooded sections. It is also more sliy, 
rarely allowing your horse aud wagon to come within gun¬ 
shot. 
The rough legged hawk (Archibuleo lagopus, Gray) 1b in 
habits almost totally unlike either of the preceding. It 
seems to hauut exclusively the open meadows, aud, contra¬ 
ry to the usually accepted idea, is more active tliau either 
of its fellows, resembling in a general way lire marsh 
hawk (Oil'ciis hudsonitis). Leaving its porch it flies a few 
hundred yards; then poising above the meadows at a height 
of perhaps fifty feet, maiuluius its position for a moment 
with continued flappiugs, until, getting fairly balanced, it 
floats for many minutes at a time ou outspread, entirely 
motionless wings, its body being nearly horizontal, with 
the head lowered, and eyes eagerly scanning the ground. 
On several occasions I have seen it breast iu this manner a 
modeiaLely strong wind for some time without a single ap¬ 
parent motion or any perceptible drift; end when thus 
poised it strongly reminds one of a- stuffed bird suspended 
by a wire. This feat I have never seen performed by any 
other bird, though I find it attributed to Buteo nwntemus 
by a writer in But lire, whose explanation, however, would 
utterly fail in the present instance, as all the conditions 
necessary to the support of his theory have beeu, iu my 
observation, entirely reversed. 
Bhould the rough-leg fail in its Beareb, it proceeds to an¬ 
other part of the meadow, and there repeats Ihe perform¬ 
ance, and if, after trying several places, it is still unsuccess¬ 
ful, it almost invariably returns to the first poiut and be¬ 
gins again. When at length it does discover a small quad¬ 
ruped, it seems to descend upon it through a succession of 
curves; but 1 do not feel quite sure how invariable this 
mode of sweeping is with it, for I remember seeing one 
sail down from a tree on a nearly even inclined plane. Should 
it miss its aim, it rises, aud poising, awaits ihe reappear¬ 
ance of its prey, which, when finally secured, is devoured 
oh the spot. Its ordinaiy flight, though straightforward 
aud slow, is rather light and easy, witll nearly constant 
flapping, and at such limes it resembles a gull more than 
a hawk; but iu its high sailing is hardly lobe distinguished 
1’ioin the red-tail, except perhaps by its gi eater size. 
When about to alight it chooses some large detached 
tree, and rising to ihe topmost twig, settles easily and 
lightly, keeping its wings spiead an instant to maiutain its 
balance. In this, I think almost universal habit of choos¬ 
ing the topmost twig for its perch, it differs from all the 
other large New England hawks; and its appearance as it 
sits with its body nearly horizontal, swaying up and down 
with the wind on "someslender spray, is, to say the least, 
unique. Perhaps the small size of the feet may show a 
special adaptation for this habit. I have heard no cry or 
note of any kind.—W ii.ii-V r JSitBwSTEit. 
Cambridge, Mass, 
Notes from: Our Coekespondents. — John Burroughs 
(Esopua-on-Hudson) says-. I have seen an extraordinary 
number of eagles on the Hudson this Winter. Yesterday 
from the cat window I saw eight ha the vicinity of West 
Point—four bald eagles, at least, and three black or gold¬ 
en eagles, and one 1 could not determine. The black 
eagles weie silting on the floating cakes of ice, or hovering 
over them. The bald eagles were high iu air, sailing rouud 
and round. Passing-down the Hudson the last of Decem¬ 
ber I saw three black eagles on the ice. About the first of 
December 1 saw several golden eagles in Ihe fields near 
Kingston, and one day soon after a bald eagle flew along 
by my house. Why thia great flight of eagles? Haveoth- 
thers observed and noted this? Have yon noticed bow easy 
the pine grosoeak is tanked? 1 saw a lady Ip dm Jersey 
City depot the other day, with one in a cage, Mat had only 
been caught a few weeks, and it would hop down into bet- 
hand and feed. It was very fond of apple seeds. She said 
it sang finely. I have seldom seen a bird that looked so 
clean and healthy in captivity-George A. Boavdman 
