44 
THE WILSON BULLETIN — March, 1922 
Bronzed Grackle, Purple Finch, Redpoll, Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Snow 
Bunting, Lapland Longspur, Tree Sparrow, Slate-colored Junco, Song 
Sparrow, Cardinal. Cedar Waxwing, Northern Shrike, Myrtle Warbler, 
Maryland Yellow-throat, Brown Creeper, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted 
Titmouse, Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Robin, Bluebird. 
S. Paul Jones. 
Waukesha, Wis. 
ON THE EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF MAGPIES 
The recent note of Professors Swenlt and Dawson of Lincoln, Ne- 
braska, in The Wilson Bulletin (XXXIII, No. 4, 1921, 196-197) concern- 
ing “An Unusual Eastward Movement of the Magpie in Nebraska,” 
prompts me to add some additional notes regarding the further eastward 
distribution of this species and to record its incursion eastward into 
Iowa as far as the ninety-second meridian. 
So far as I am aware this species has not been recorded from Iowa 
for many years, the most recent published note of its occurrence having 
been made by Anderson (Proc. Dav. Acad. Sci., XI, 1907, 294), where he 
lists a specimen taken near Keokuk in Lee county “ about 1893.” 
The first Iowa specimen which came to my hands was received from 
Mr. A. Goshorn, editor of the Winterset News. This bird, a male, was 
caught in a steel trap at Winterset, Madison county, Iowa, about thirty- 
five miles southwest, of Des Moines on December 1. 1921. My correspond- 
ent states that numerous persons throughout that county have observed 
magpies singly or in small flocks of from three to five or seven during the 
early winter. Mr. C. Taylor reported one individual of a flock of three 
riding on a cow’s back. 
Professor C. R. Keyes of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, informs me that a cor- 
respondent of his. Dr. Weeks of Emmetsburg, had seen several magpies 
at that place during November, 1921. 
A second specimen now in the University of Iowa Museum was taken 
about December 1, 1921, near Cedar Rapids. It was one of a flock of 
three. 
From Charles City in Floyd county comes another report of the oc- 
currence of this bird in that vicinity, a single individual having appeared 
about November 13. 
Mr. J. A. Spurrell of Wall Lake, Sac county, writes me under date 
of December 18 that on October 18, 1921, he “ saw two magpies in a 
grove, without any house in it. about five and one-half miles west of Wall 
Lake, Iowa. I saw them about three o’clock in the afternoon, and their 
black and white colors and extremely long tails were very conspicuous 
as they flew from low willows along the roadside to the top of tall maples 
in the grove. This is the first time that I have ever seen magpies in 
Sac county.” Mr. Spurrell mentions three other persons who have seen 
magpies in the vicinity of Wall Lake, the largest number together being 
a flock of seven. Old residents report that the species has not been seen 
in the county for about thirty years. 
A former student of mine, Mr. H. Moen of Onawa, in Monroe county, 
informs me that at various times during recent years he has seen mag- 
pies near the place and that they sometimes alight on the backs of cat- 
