ia leNe Od Se Ae Ul DUB ON SO Gil Psy 37 
a big snowstorm came and I’m sure they suffered, although I 
found no frozen ones anywhere about. 
February 29, while it was still very cold and the ground 
was covered with snow, a huge flock of Redwings and Grackles 
flew over my head, steering their way down towards the marsh- 
es on Rock River. That was a little early also, as my records 
say March 3-10. Spring never seems to be really establishd, 
though, until I hear the shrill clarion call of the Meadowlark, 
heard March tenth, rather late. I also heard a number of Song 
Sparrows and a few pairs of Bluebirds, giving their little con- 
versational song, always asking, ‘“‘Do you—love me—truil-ly ?” 
There were few Robins. 
I had rather an interesting experience with the Tufted Tit- 
mouse that day. I could hear his ‘‘Peter! Peter!”’ on one side 
of me, and the echo “Beat it! Beat it!’ on the other, so I whistled 
and walked along, and he followed me from tree to tree, answer- 
ing me each time and finally lighting near me. I was delighted, 
since he always seems to be a haunter of the highest tree tops 
and continually fools me with his ventriloquistic powers. 
Port Byron 
Mr. J. J. Schafer sends in another of his interesting reports 
from Port Byron in the Mississippi river region. 
The weather was very favorable for bird life here this winter. 
During December there was snow on the ground from the seven- 
teenth to the twenty-ninth. After that the ground was bare until 
February twenty-sixth. During January there were twenty- 
four clear days, and January 24 was the coldest day of the winter 
the thermometer registering eight degrees below zero. 
Herring Gulls were numerous on the Mississippi River dur- 
ing December, but there were not as many Mergansers and 
Golden-eyes as last winter. January 10 a V-shaped flock of about 
forty Canada Geese flew over our place towards the northwest. 
Many coveys of Bob-whites were left over from last fall, and 
on account of the fine weather this winter there will be plenty 
left for breeding next summer. 
One Marsh Hawk was seen January 20, and Cooper’s Hawks 
were here all winter. One succeeded in killing and eating one 
of our young chickens, but several weeks later it was shot when 
it was eating at a frozen chicken which was lying in the garden. 
It proved to be a male and was in very good flesh. Rough-legged 
Hawks were here until December 11. After that none were seen 
until February 1. 
Screech and Great Horned Owls were not heard very often 
this winter. On the morning of January 14 a dead Screech Owl 
was found in the basement of our corn crib, where it evidently 
had starved to death. 
