May, 1913 
NOTES ON CERTAIN KANSAS BIRDS 
121 
present fall, however, but one bird was noted, a male seen along the Wakarusa 
River, in a locality where the species is usually fairly common; and none were 
seen in the territory recently occupierl by them. 
Wintering- birds of Nanniis h. hianalis seem also to have been almost com- 
pletely wiped out, none being observed, though careful search was made for 
them in localities where formerly they were common. 
Cardiiialis c. cardinalis alone among the Fringillidae seemed to have suf- 
fered loss, the birds being rare until the first of November when their numbers 
were augmented by migrants from the north. Large numbers of quail were killed 
also in this locality, but recovered through favorable weather during the early 
breeding season. In the western part of Kansas conditions were much more 
severe, and it is reported that Prairie Hens and quail were almost entirely ex- 
terminated, and that even the jack rabbits have almost entirely disappeared. 
These observations would seem to emphasize the well known fact that within a 
single species or subspecies of bird we have divisions or groups, resident or mi- 
grant, as the case may be, within certain defined limits : and when one of these 
local groups is through any cause greatly lessened in numbers, it regains its form- 
er abundance mainly through the increase of the survivors, though slight gains 
may come through the encroachment of others of the same species from unaf- 
fected neighboring areas where competition between the members is severe 
enough to cause them to seek new haunts. 
SOME NOTES ON THE NESTING OF THE SHORT-EARED OWL 
By ARETAS A. SAUNDERS 
WITH ONE PHOTO BY THE AUTHOR 
D uring the nesting season of 1912 I spent most of my spare time on an 
area lying about half a mile southeast of the town of Chouteau, Montana. 
This area consisted of open grassy meadows crossed by a small creek, cot- 
tonwood groves along the edges of the creek, and a large area of brush land, 
OA^ergrown with shrubbv cinquefoil, wild rose bushes, and a few scattered wil- 
lows, buffalo-berry bushes and other shrubs. This brush area formed the nest- 
ing ground for a good many birds. IMallards, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Clay-colored 
Sparrow'S and a colony of Brew'er Blacl-rbirds nested in or beneath the cincpie- 
foils, and m the thickest part of the brush I found the nest of a pair of Marsh 
Hawks. During the latter part of May and early in June I frequently saw a 
Short-eared Owl (Asia flaiiiDicus) sitting in the toj) of a dead willow bush that 
was near the Marsh Llawk’s nest. I began to suspect that this bird, too, had a 
nest in the vicinity, but when I searched near the bush, the bird merely flew to a 
tall dead cottonwood on the border of the creek and sat waitching me. giving no 
sign to show whether his nest was near or not. 
Finally, on the evening of June- 10, I extended my search to a new part of 
the brush area, a good 150 yards from, the willow bush and still farther from the 
cottonwood tree. I soon noticed that the owl had left his perch and w'as hover- 
ing overhead w'atching me. As I w'ent farther in that direction he circled lower 
over my head and called anxiously a lowq short, hoarse note that sounded to me 
