feeds tl NOES AUDUBON -SOCGLETY 39 
of Winter Wrens and Wilson’s Snipes (Jacksnipes). Just yes- 
terday the first flock of Cedar Waxwings made their appear- 
ance, and we have had little else that was of interest. 
My father-in-law, who lives near Beardstown on the Illinois 
River, has complained that his farms have been pestered with 
tremendous numbers of Wild Mallards all winter. A clipping 
from one of the Rushville papers recently told of one farmer 
who left a large number of ears of corn which he had shucked 
in the field over night. The next morning as he approached 
thousands of Ducks arose from the field and he found most of 
his corn very badly eaten. I think this speaks well for the Fed- 
eral Migratory Bird Law. Such conditions as this have not 
been reported for a great many years. 
The following paragraph from the Rushville, (Illinois) 
Citizen under date of March 9 has just reached me and fits in 
well with the above: 
Ducks are to be seen in almost every field located north and 
northwest of Rushville, the number in some of the fields being 
estimated at many thousands. In the Crane Creek and Coal 
Creek Drainage District, the ducks are said to be more numer- 
ous than ever before and countless thousands can be seen in the 
fields adjacent to the public road between Frederick and the 
river. Fields seeded to wheat are now their favorite feeding 
grounds and if this continues, there is a probability that the 
growing crops may be considerably damaged. 
Most of the hunters have observed the spring shooting law 
very well, although there are about three cliques of professional 
market hunters who are doing a big business, both in the fall 
and during the spring, and they are marketing their kill 
through several saloons. Naturally it does not make the honest 
hunters of this vicinity very happy to know that these men are 
breaking the law and getting by with it. 
I might also report that the 
Quincy Whig Journal is carry- 
ing on a bird house contest to be 
finished March 18. The houses 
are limited to Bluebird boxes, 
Wren boxes and Martin boxes 
and a prize is given for the first 
and second best houses in each 
class: si 
Sunday, March 9, I took a ! 
hike and recorded the following 
birds:Hairy Woodpecker, Downy © 
Woodpecker, Bluejay, Red-head- 
ed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Bronzed Grackle, 
Meadowlark, Purple Finch, Goldfinch, English Sparrow, Tree 
Sparrow, Junco, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Cardinal, 
Cedar Waxwing, Winter Wren, Little Brown Creeper, Crow, 

RR SRE Se a A eee ote SS ee 
oto by T. E. Musselman 

