654 General Notes... [August, 
“blizzard” times last winter. After my article was sent away, I 
repeatedly saw one, which I presumed to have been the same bird. 
It undoubtedly tarried with us during all of our unexceptionably 
severe winter. I am also reliably informed that these birds wine 
tered in large numbers in Boone county, thirty or forty miles 
south of this place, that they made their homes in some of the 
deep ravines which extend back from the Des Moines river. In 
these ravines there would generally be open water from springs, 
about which they could doubtless pursue food, while the high 
timbered bluffs would very materially modify the severe climate. 
A few nights ago a young friend was passing an old mill just 
across the river from me, with a lighted lantern. His attention 
was attracted to some flying creatures, which came very close to 
him, and which he thought at first were bats. But stopping a 
moment, he caught two of them, and they proved to be swallows, 
which had lately arrived, and were building their nests under the 
eaves of “that ancient mill.” I read of birds being attracted by 
a light, and killing themselves by flying against the windows of 
lighthouses, or other elevated buildings, but never before of an 
instance of this kind. 
the same notes here! But there is this difference: Our jays are 
very tame, almost half domesticated, coming freely to our pants 
yards and corn-cribs, aud helping themselves, in a bold, confiden 
hands upon his sides and captured him! It is amusing to a 
them eat a kernel of our large western corn. They cann 
clear. But back in western New York and Pennsy ivania, 
were shy and secretive, living for the most part in the gran be 
woods. It seems to me this difference in habits may be large+Y 
