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PRAIRIE BIRDS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. 201 
tional trill in various parts, and such beautiful rising and falling 
cadences, in addition to its other pleasing qualities, that we con- 
sider it unequalled in these respects among all the numerous 
fringilline songsters of the United States. A frequent companion 
of this species was the indigo bird (Cyanospiza cyanea), and more 
rare one, the grass, or bay-winged bunting (Pooecetes gramineus). 
Besides the species named, but few birds were noticed that day, 
and these were the more generally distributed species, which are 
hardly worthy of mention, as the catbird (Galeoscoptes Carolin- 
ensis), red-bellied woodpecker (Centurus Carolinus), flicker (Colap- 
tes auratus), and such species as are seen every day in nearly all 
localities. Once a pair of croaking ravens (Corvus carnivorus) 
made their appearance, and after circling about over the border of 
the woods for a few minutes, left for the heavy timber of Fox 
Creek bottoms. The red-tailed and red-shouldered hen hawks 
(Buteo borealis and B. lineatus) were occasionally seen, while now 
and then one or two swallow-tailed kites (Nauclerus forficatus) 
would be noticed floating about in broad circles in the clear blue 
sky, usually accompanied by the Mississippi kite (Ictinia Missis- 
sippiensis). The little sparrow falcon (Tinnunculus sparverius), | 
the sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks (Accipiter fuscus and A. 
Cooperii), completed the list of birds of prey which we observed 
that day. 
Early in August of the same summer we visited this oe aks a 
second time, and found its entire aspect changed. The 
Severe drought having passed, we found a profusion of ia 
giving a gay and varied color to the prairie, which before was 
Comparatively brown and sober in the appearance of its vegeta- 
tion. The birds which were most conspicuous were nearly all 
different from those noticed at our former visit. The mocking 
birds, brown thrashers and chats, were silent, while a few of the 
other singers occasionally cheered us with their song. The shrill 
Screech of a very large species of Cicada repeatedly startled us as 
_ we brushed against a weed, while numerous varieties of grasshop- 
pers were far more noisy than the birds, and seemed almost the 
Only active beings during the sultry noontime of that cloudless 
day ; for the thermometer stood in the nineties, although the heat 
Was considerably tempered by a steady refreshing breeze. To 
_ compensate for this silence of the birds, however, as we came upon 
the open prairie, a beautiful and unlooked for sight attracted our 
