48 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 
Mr. R. B. Miller, State Forester, commenting upon the area says 
that the forest on the bank of the lake is unusually rich and interesting 
and should not be cleared. It is a great place for cypress seedlings where 
they occur by the thousand. Some transplanted in the nursery at the State 
Forest near Jonesboro are doing well. ‘The state game ofhcials have built 
a house on the island for the caretaker but fortunately for the wild fowl 
they are leaving everything else undisturbed. It is a splendid haven for 
bird life. 
The 1931 Season at Quincy 
Mr. T. E. Musselman, a member of the staff of the Gem City 
Business College and a lecturer on natural history subjects, contributes these 
notes from his 1931 diary: 
Redbirds and Black-capped Chickadees were singing on January 1, 
1931. An unusually serious epidemic of tularemia has afflicted Adams 
County rabbits and squirrels this winter. Likewise a total of two dozen 
persons were affected from handling the sick animals. Jan. 13, I saw my 
first Song Sparrow (singing). Jan. 17, saw a female Northern Pileated 
Woodpecker. It flew with characteristic wave-like flight, continually 
calling a single harsh note as it flew. It alighted on its nest tree with a 
last grand swoop. Heard my first Carolina Wren. “lwo Robins seen 
today. Jan. 24, although there is no evidence of a general flight, a Snowy 
Owl was shot today. Wing spread 4 feet, 1014 inches; weight 4+ pounds. 
This was our only 1931 record. 
Jan. 31, first Bluebirds. Feb. 1, saw Flickers and Red-headed Wood- 
peckers. Probably winter residents. Feb. 2, first Killdeer and Herring 
Gulls. Feb. 7, big flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds (females) flying over. 
Feb. 8, first Robin singing. Chickadees are all busy singing their “pe wee” 
song. Feb. 12, big flight of Pintail and Mallard Ducks. Feb. 19, Maples 
in bloom. Feb. 22, Redpolls are here tearing the Sycamore seed balls to 
pieces. Feb. 28, first Mourning Doves. I captured a male Pintail Duck in 
one of my traps which carried a bronze legband with the number A666242. 
It was banded just the previous week on the MclIlhenny Game Preserve in 
Louisiana. “I'wo nests of Great Horned Owls hatched this day. Meadow- 
larks, Doves and Red-headed Woodpeckers arrived today in numbers. 
March 4, Purple Finches arrived today. “They are eating the hard 
Maple buds. March 11, the first Shrikes. March 13, Great Blue Herons 
arrived last night. March 14, first Chewinks in the brush. Green-winged 
‘Teal are dabbling in swamps. Large flights of Waxwings, and Grackles, 
Sapsuckers, Flickers. March 15, Fox Sparrows and White-throat Spar- 
rows arrived over night. March 21, Elm trees in bloom. Field Sparrows 
