166 
EIGHTH REPORT. 
In the pasture lots and hav fields, we of course find the Meadow¬ 
lark, Bobolink, Vesper Sparrow, Field Sparrow and Prairie Horned 
Lark, all of which are summer residents and nest here. 
Very often I have seen the Bobwhite in these fields, frequently sitting 
in early morning on the fences, whistling. Occasionally the Mourning 
Doves come into the pasture lots to feed, and I have seen them gather 
here in small flocks of from about eight tb a dozen. 
Nearly every year I have seen a few Grasshopper Sparrows, particu¬ 
larly in those fields which had many weeds. I think the Barn Swallow 
should be mentioned among the birds of the open fields, for they are ever 
skimming over them in search of insects. The Killdeer often comes into 
the pasture lots and seeks a nesting site in the corn fields, where it 
builds its nest at the foot of the hills of corn. In the open field border¬ 
ing the river, on June 6, 1902, I found a nest of the Nighthawk with 
two fresh eggs. 
Each year during the spring migrations I have seen a few Lark Spar¬ 
rows in these fields, but never more than three or four during a season. In 
the winter the Snowflake occasionally visits the fields, as during the 
winters of 1902-03 and 1903-04. They often remind one of the drifting 
snow as they fly from one feeding ground to another; but they do not 
seem to visit us every winter. 
BIRDS OF THE THICKET. 
Under this heading I have placed the birds that I have seen in the 
elder and willow thickets on the north side of Blake’s woods, and 
around the Overflow proper; most of them having been seen in the latter 
place. On October 12, 1903, I saw a Short-eared Owl in the willows at 
Blake’s woods; it seemed to be dozing, for I came quite close to it before 
it flew away into the woods. 
About the first of June each year I have seen a few Yellow-billed 
Cuckoos, and less frequently a Black-billed Cuckoo in the thickets 
about the Overflow; and on a few occasions I have started Night-hawks 
from here. More typical, however, of the thickets are the Blue Jay, 
American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, Towhee, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 
Indigo Bunting, Yellow Warbler, Maryland Yellow-throat, American 
Redstart, Cat-bird, Brown Thrasher and Chickadee, all of which find 
nesting places here and can often be seen. During the past few sum¬ 
mers a Cardinal or two have been seen in these thickets, but they 
perhaps came only to feed and nested closer to the city, where they 
were more frequently seen. 
Here is the best place to study the spring migration of the 
sparrows and warblers. Among the former there are always large 
numbers of the White-throated, White-crowned and Fox Sparrows, and 
very rarely a Lincoln’s Sparrow. I think there are more of the latter 
here every year than are reported, because they are easily mistaken at 
a distance for other sparrows, and furthermore, are very quiet and keep 
close to the ground. 
The warblers seen in these thickets include all the varieties men¬ 
tioned among those observed in the open Avoods, and besides the Golden- 
Avinged, Parula, Cape May, Black-poll, Wilson’s.and Mourning Warblers. 
On May G, 1905, Mr. N. A. Wood and I saw a male of Kirtland’s Warbler 
