1875.] 169 [Hoffman. 



List of Birds observed at Grand River Agency, Dakota 

 Tkr., from October 7th, 1872, to June 7tii, 1873. By W. 

 J. Hoffman, M.D., late Act. Asst. Surgeon, U. S. Army. 



My observations extend over a period of only eight months, and 

 the list is therefore incomplete. At the time of my arrival at the 

 Agency, in October, many species had already gone southward, and 

 others were just beginning to appear when I was ordered farther 

 north, to join the Yellowstone Expedition. Many other species 

 might undoubtedly have been noted, but for the danger of meeting 

 with hostile Sioux, in venturing too far away from the settlement. 



Grand River Agency (and Military Post) is situated about midway 

 between Fort Rice and Fort Sully, the distance to either place being 

 about eighty miles, by land. Situated upon the western bank of the 

 Missouri River, and half a mile above the mouth of Oak Creek, it is 

 consequently on one of the mud flats, or river bottoms. Opposite 

 the Agency there is also an island, covered with an undergrowth of 

 willows and cottonwoods. The eastern banks of the river are des- 

 titute of vegetation on account of the barren blutfs, and it is only 

 upon the western side that we find a variety of trees and shrubs. 

 Here we find the cottonwood (Populus monilifera), several varieties 

 of Salix, the bullberry (Shepherdia argenteci), wild plum (Pi'unus 

 virginianus), grape and Clematis, forming a dense undergrowth of 

 vegetation, and a safe retreat for many of the feathered tribe. As 

 the prairie is nearly destitute of shrubbery few birds are found away 

 from the bottom lands, excepting the raptores. 



Mr. J. A. Allen, in his "Notes on the Natural History of por- 

 tions of Montana and Dakota," p. 15-16, mentions quite a number 

 of birds as common at Fort Rice which I did not meet with at Grand 

 River up to June 7th. His observations at the former locality were 

 made from the 10th to the 20th of June, and I am inclined to believe 

 that several of these species made their appearance there during the 

 second week of June. I also saw quite a number of species procured 

 and preserved at Fort Rice, which I failed to notice at Grand River 

 two weeks before. 



Oak Creek is so called from the great numbers of oak trees grow- 

 ing along its banks as far as ten miles inland. Few nests were found 

 during my stay, and the scarcity no doubt depends upon the rascality 

 of the young Sioux. These boys can be found at nearly all hours 

 of the day, scouring the underbrush in all directions in search of eggs 



