IOWA BIRD LIFE j PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION j VOL. XXI JUNE, 1951 NO. 2 \ OFFICERS OF THE IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION President — Albert C. Berkowitz, Des Moines, Iowa Vice-President— John Paul Moore. Newton, Iowa Sec’y-Treas. — Mrs. George Crossley, Farley, Iowa Librarian— Dr. J. Harold Ennis, Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa Editor— Fred J. Pierce, Winthrop, Iowa Executive Council: Miss Zell C. Lee, Sioux City, Iowa E J. Petranek, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Clifford Johnson, Dubuque, Iowa The Iowa Ornithologists’ Union was organized at Ames, Iowa, February 2S. 1923. for the study and protection of native birds and to promote fraternal re- lations among Iowa bird students. The central design of the Union's official seal is the Eastern Goldfinch, desig- nated State Bird of Iowa in 1933. Publications of the Union : Mimeographed letters. 19231928 ; 'The Bulletin,’ 1929-1930 : ‘Iowa Bird Life,’ beginning 1931, SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $1.00 a year. Single copies 25c each. Subscription to the magazine is included in all paid memberships, of which there are four classes, as follows: Contributing Mem- ber, $10.00 a year: Supporting Member, $3.00 a year; Regular Mem- ber, $1,00 a year: Junior Member (under 16 years of age), 50c a year. EDITORIAL AND PUBLICATION OFFICE WINTHROP, IOWA Entered as second-class matter February 9, 1932, at the post office at Winthrop, Iowa, under the Act of March 3, 1879, 26 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI, 1951 FROM THE OBSERVER'S NOTEBOOK By WILLIAM YOUNGWORTH SIOUX CITY, IOWA THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF A ROBIN One June a female Robin made regular trips to our back lawn, so often in fact that we decided to watch her closely. We removed a back window screen and watched the bird working a few feet away. We soon learned that the food supply was grub worms and that our white clover lawn was heavily infested with them. This particular Robin had its nest in an elm tree on our parking and thus made rather quick trips back and forth. Our bird would dig out one grub worm and then go for the second one. With the second grub in her bill her troubles began, because as she dug for the third worm, she dropped the first two worms. Upon digging the third grub, she would proceed to pick up the first two and start digging for the fourth. Now she had three worms to drop while she dug the fourth one. Unfailingly our Robin would dig out her fourth grub, then proceed to pick up the other three and head for home. Often in her zeal to dig the fourth worm, she threw the other three several inches away, but invariably she retrieved them. After several days of watching we decided that she dug four worms and never failed to pick up the scattered worms unless molested by animals. She couldn't count, of course, but her instinct and keen eye- sight told her she had four worms to carry and that was her capacity. BIRDS AND FLYING ANTS September 16, 1950, dawned as one of those typical fall days, with a heavy haze and muggy atmosphere. By noon the air had cleared, the sun burst through and the dear blue sky above beckoned to the winged ants as it was to be their day. All was calm around several ant hills in the back yard until shortly after noon, then suddenly the ground erupted with hundreds of thousands of flying ants. They crawled up out of nests and seemed to aerate their wings for a few minutes, then took off almost straight up for the wide blue yonder. It was then that bird life of the neighborhood came to life. From then until dusk, when the flight ceased as quickly as it started, the air was full of diving, flying, jumping birds. The list of birds which enjoyed the change in diet is fairly long. A brief account of how the different species handled the ant problem may be of in- terest. There were still a few Purple Martins and numerous Barn Swallows here, both of which took the prey in the usual manner. Flocks of Starlings took to hawking after the ants much in the manner of the swallows. Chimney Swifts were also flying about overhead and enjoying the feast. Two Crested Flycatchers represented the flycatcher family and they did a fine job of ant- catching. Baltimore Orioles were seen to fly out from a catalpa tree and nab the flying ants. Probably the most interesting sight was nearly a dozen Rose-breasted Grosbeaks flying out from almost any perch to make neat catches. Of course, it is not uncommon to see Cedar Waxwings in the flycatcher role, so we were not surprised to see a small flock of this species working on the ants. The vireos are good flycatchers and we saw two Red-eyed Vireos giving good account of themselves during the afternoon. Among the expert flycatching warblers that we saw feeding on the ants were the Yellow, Myrtle and Wil- son’s Warblers, Catbirds, much to my surprise, were good at catching the flying ants and made many sallies from light poles and wires. Brown Thrashers made most of their catches from the ground and jump* ed up to catch the insects. Robins were not to be outdone in the flycatch- ing race; from their favorite perches on the tops of the tallest elm trees they FROM THE OBSERVER'S NOTEBOOK 27 sallied forth to make numerous successful catches. As dusk closed in, the ant flight ceased. The birds went to roost and the interesting insect flight was over for another year. BIRD WATCHING VERSUS PHEASANT HUNTING Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: "Men are naturally hunters and in- quisitive of wood-craft . ..” This is a very true statement, but one which is an enigma when actual hunting and nature study or woodcraft mix. This fact has been very apparent to the writer during the past 30 years, much to the disgust of his various hunting partners One cold, snowy day in November, 1947, four of us were hunting near Climbing Hill, Iowa. We were working up a brushy ravine, when the writer spotted a Northern Shrike carrying the uneaten portion of a small bird and struggling against the wind to get to a nearby tree. The bird-watching in- terest was too strong and I stopped and turned to watch the laboring shrike. At that precise moment several pheasants got up in front of me. There I was with my back to the pheasants and my eyes glued on the shrike. Needless to say. the pheasants flew off unharmed and I heard muttered curses on both sides of me. On November 30. 1948, we were hunting in a short draw which ran into the wider Mill Creek valley. As we progressed amid the numerous sparrows and juneos, I saw several Purple Finches happily feeding on wild sunflowers. The birds were tame: I walked up to within a few feet of them and stood admiring the various shades of plumage. However, in the meantime my partners had proceeded down the draw. When I finally came to and started hunting again, it was too late. The pheasants had sensed that no one was behind them down the middle of the draw, and they had turned and come back up the draw toward me. Suddenly they took wing between us. Every- body was afraid of shooting toward the other hunters. The result was a stale- mate and nobody got a shot. The air was blue again and not from the cold, either; A similar incident was a climax to a hunting trip on November 12, 1948. I usually steer pheasant hunting parties into areas where I know bird life will be found. That is why on this date we hunted the same little valley near Mill Creek, where the above incident took place. This time I went down the outside of the draw. As I progressed I saw some yellowish looking sparrows flitting ahead of me. I stopped and then approached them carefully. What I found was at least a half dozen Le- Conte's Sparrows, a good field record for anyone and especially for me, as I had collected the species in this general region many years before. My rap- ture shortly gave way to chagrin, when I heard angry shouts and epithets hurled in my direction. As usual, whenever I pause to watch the birds and beasts, the pheasants wouldn't wait for me. This time they all burst cover where I should have been and flew cackling away toward Mill Creek bottoms. My experiences with bird watching on pheasant hunting trips are legion, and I usually return home with an empty hunting coat but with many fine bird records and memories of happy days afield. It is impossible to explain to a hard-headed pheasant hunter the joys of bird watching. I can see that it is disgusting to a group of hunters to drag the dead wood along, but that is the price they must pay for taking a bird student with them on a pheasant hunting expedition. JUMPING MICE Of the many field trips taken by the late Dr. T. C. Stephens and the observer, one to the lake region of northeast South Dakota in June, 1929, will always be remembered because of the following ludicrous action which took place at Lake Albert, Kingsbury County. \ IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI, 1951 28 The drouth cycle was getting a good start and Lake Albert was slowly drying at the time of our visit. Dr. Stephens and I were exploring the dying lake bed, which was covered with thick grass and numerous dead Russian thistles blown there by the wind and lodged in grass and weeds. Suddenly a mouse vaulted up out of the grass and landed about 5 feet away. As we moved forward mice jumped out all around us; there were dozens of them and they were leaping in all directions. My partner be- came quite excited and said we should try to catch some of the creatures, as they were Great Plains Jumping Mice which he didn’t think were com- mon here. After many fruitless attempts at capture, we finally hit on the idea of jumping when the mouse did and landing on the spot where it lit. Dr. Stephens and I started broad-jumping after the mice and in part were successful, for we soon had several specimens, which he dumped in his carrying case. He said we ought to get a few more for the University of South Dakota Museum, so we continued jumping on the jumping mice and sent our catch to the museum that evening. We had red faces at noon, when we went in to dinner at the farmhouse where we were staying. The farmer asked us what two grown men were doing out there on the dry lake bed leaping around like a couple of goats. Our host had been plowing corn in an adjacent field and thought that bees or wasps had caused our funny antics. FURTHER NOTES ON LONG-EARED OWLS By THOMAS MORRISSEY DAVENPORT, IOWA On April 13, 1950, I visited a roost of Long-eared Owls t Asio otus wilson- ianus ) in Pleasant Valley Township, Scott County, Iowa. The roost was in a tall, straggling, red cedar standing on the edge of an orchard about 20 yards from a deserted farmhouse, A line of 15 vigorous spruce trees formed a windbreak along the north side of the house and would have provided much better cover and concealment than the isolated cedar. Neighbors told me that 3 owls had been using the roost all winter, but when I arrived in the afternoon there were no owls in the tree. Some grackles were complaining feebly off in the orchard. I investigated and flushed a fine Long-eared Owl which made off, pursued by excited grackles and Robins. The owl alighted briefly in the windbreak but soon flew off, circling the farmhouse and orchard with the small birds trailing after it. Again it aligted, this time in the top of a dead tree, and posed handsomely for a moment in the late afternoon sunlight. When it flew, instead of dashing for a hiding place as is the usual custom of this species, it circled and soared low around the barnyard several times and then crossed a road and made for a grove of catalpas about 250 yards away. I collected about 450 pellets from beneath the red cedar in which owls had been reported roosting. These pellets contained the following food items; Meadow Mouse (Mierotus) 324 skulls <56%) White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus) 131 skulls < 329^ 1 Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys) 43 skulls < 8%) Short-tailed Shrew < Blarina) 15 skulls (less than 3%) House Mouse fMus) 11 skulls (less than 2%) English Sparrow (Passer) 4 skulls (less than 1%) In another article (Iowa Bird Life, XIX, 4( I reported the food items represented in a collection from another Long-eared Owl roost. In compari- son, the present sample showed about the same percentage of meadow mice (56% and 51%); a lower proportion of white-footed mice (32% and 41%,); PHOTOGRAPHING OWLS 29 and a higher proportion of harvest mice f85<# and 2 %). The short-tailed shrew and house mouse occurred in about the same proportion in both collections. The first roost was in a heavily wooded area with an extensive sedge meadow nearby. The roost discussed here was in a farmyard at least a mile from any woodlands and surrounded on all sides by rolling farmland, corn- fields, pastures, fallow fields, and brush-filled ditches. This difference in habitat probably accounted for the larger percentage of harvest mice and the smaller percentage of white-footed mice. No Norway rats, not even juvenals, were found in the sampling although there must have been rats around the buildings near the roost. Perhaps rats are not as easy prey for the smaller owls as many have imagined. PHOTOGRAPHING OWLS By TOM KENT IOWA CITY. KJWA Beginning on February IS, 1951, my father and I had considerable ex- perience and a lot of fun with owls in the Lake MacBride area. Through an aerial photograph which my father took we became interested in an area we had seen many times but had never explored. This area is a south slope covered with white pines and cedar trees averaging about 12 feet in height. The area covers about 10 acres. While hiking through this tract we flushed a Screech Owl, and when chasing it we ran across two Saw-whet Owls, On the succeeding week-end we located three Saw-whets— Dr. Laude, my father and I each having a dif- ferent one at the same lime. The owls were quite tame, so I was able to ap- proach within 2 or 3 feet to photograph them, and on two occasions I man- aged to catch one of them. The last time we saw them was on March 5, though we didn’t visit the place again until March 25. IOWA BIRD LIFE— -XXI, 1951 30 SAW- WHET OWL From a stereo kodachrome photograph by Tom Kent. On March 5 we noticed a number of pellets under a stand of old cedars, and, looking up, we saw two Long-eared Owls sitting above us, On March 25 we went out to Lake MacBride again to photograph these owls. Dr, Robert Vane with us this time. To our surprise we found six Long-eared Owls instead of two. We managed to get within 25 feet before any of them left, and one of them did not leave until we got as near as 10 feet, Dr. Vane doubted a bit that we could produce the owls, and we were of course highly pleased to find them. PRODUCTIVITY OF THE RING-NECKED PHEASANT IN SOUTHEASTERN IOWA, 1950 By OTIS ROBBINS and GEORGE O. HENDRICKSON Dept, of Zoology & Entomology Iowa ftite College AMES. IOWA With few data at hand some hypotheses have been evolved to explain the low productivity of the Ring-necked Pheasant \phasianus coU hints torquaius Gmelint in southern parts of its range. Following a review- of food limita- tions, unavailability of grit, and excessive precipitation, Bennitt and Ter- rill (Possible Temperature Factors in North-central Pheasant Distribution, N. Am. Wl, Conf. Trans. 5:423-432, 1940 h suggested high temperature as harmful to eggs. The senior writer investigated the productivity of the Ring-necked Pheasant on an area consisting of Sections 8. 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17 of Lime Creek Township, Washington County, in southeastern Iowa, intermittently from November, 1949, to June, 1950, and continually in residence on the area in PRODUCTIVITY OF PHEASANT 31 summer, 1950. The land ranges from hilly or broken near the larger streams and rolling on the narrower divides to level on the area between the streams. In 1950, 3,274 acres (85 percent) were used for crop purposes. Between the years 1926 and 1931, 592 adult Ring-necked Pheasants were released and 1,120 eggs were distributed to farmers for hatching in Wash- ington County by the Iowa Fish and Game Department. Roadside enumerations conducted by the Iowa State Conservation Com- mission show a small population of Ring-necked Pheasants in Washington County, as indicated by an average of about 0.25 pheasant to a mile in autumn and 0.08 pheasant to a mile in spring, 1945-1949, and, roughly, about 10 per- cent of the numbers in 33 north-central counties of the best pheasant range of Iowa. By roadside counts, random field sight counts and crowing counts, the spring breeding population, 1950, was estimated at 60 to 65 birds in a ratio of 40 cocks:100 hens, A total of 175 hatched and unhatched eggs were in 17 of 18 nests found with a mean clutch of 10.2 -j- 2.6, range 3-15 eggs; one unincu- bated nest had only one egg, and none was added. Of 101 hatched and un- hatched eggs examined, 96 <95.1 percent! were fertile. Only one nest had a protective or concealing canopy, old stems of greater ragweed. Baskett (Nesting and Production of the Ring-necked Pheasant in North Central Iowa, Ecol. Monog, 17:1-30, 1947) reported 92 percent pheasant egg fertility at a research area in Winnebago County, northern Iowa, in 1939, 1940, and 1941. The peak of nest establishment was between May 16 and June 15; the peak of hatching between June 16 and June 30, The earliest nest was es- tablished between April 1 and 15, and the last nest between July 16 and 31. Over one-half <66.6 percent) of the 18 nests were in hayfields, agreeing closely with Baskett top. cit.h Alfalfa and alfalfa-brome grass fields con- tained nine nests (50.0 percent), red clover three (16.6 percent), wheat one nest (5.5 percent), oats none, fence rows four nests <22.2 prcent) and a grassed waterway of a cornfield one nest (5.5 percent). Farming operations were the major cause of nest abandonment. Eleven (61.1 percent) nests were exposed by mowing, and a hen returned to incubate and to hatch the eggs of one nest. A hen with one leg, the other probably cut off by a mower, was observed with a brood. A total of 31 different broods were seen and placed into five age groups with use of aging techniques described by Trautman (Determining the Age of Juvenile Pheasants, South Dakota Conserv. Digest 17(8):8-10, 1950), in- formation obtained by the writers before publication. Three broods were seen of the 1-2 weeks age group with mean 6.6 chicks, range 4-8; five broods of the 3-4 weeks age group with a mean 4,8 chicks, range 1-8; eight broods of the 5-6 weeks age group with mean 5.2 chicks, range 1-11; eight broods of the 7-8 weeks age group with mean 4.1 chicks, range 1-7; and seven broods over 8 weeks of age with mean 3,5 chicks, range 1-6. The mean size of broods was reduced from 6.6 at 1-2 weeks of age to 3.5 chicks at 8 weeks or more of age. Baskett (op. cit.) reported a mean of 6.5 chicks a brood in years 1939, 1940, and 1941 in a north-central county, nearly twice the mean size of 8 weeks or more age broods in the southeastern county, 1950. The years 1939-41 were in the upswing of the pheasant cycle as were 1948-50. A deficiency of 3-81 inches (50.0 percent) in precipitation was recorded during the months of July and August. As a result the two streams bisect- ing the research area had “free water'* only in a few small pools. Almost daily inspections revealed only three different sets of adult tracks, no young, around these pools during July and August, Bob-whites ( Colinus virginianus} were approximately as numerous as the Ring-necked Pheasants on the area. On three occasions Ring-necked IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI, 1951 Pheasants and Bob-whites were flushed from the same coverts. On two occasions the roosting site of a covey of Bob-whites and several Ring-necked Pheasants was situated in the same cover and the droppings of the birds were less than 10 feet apart. There was no evidence of agitation or direct conflict between the two species. No Bob-white sign was seen at the stream pools in summer. In summary, the limited data show approximately 30-45 percent less young pheasants to a brood from the 1-2 weeks age class through the 8 weeks and more age class in a southeastern Iowa county in 1950 than in a north- central county. 1939-41, a period with rising pheasant populations comparable with general increases, 1948-50. The indicated low hatching and survival rates in the southeastern county are in accord with a brief report on pheasant brood studies in central Illinois by Yeatter (Effects of Different Preincuba- tion Temperatures on the Hatchability of Pheasant Eggs, Science 112.529- 530, 1950 », who suggested the probable vulnerability of pheasant embryos to air temperature during the laying period as an important influence in limiting the southern distribution of pheasants in the north-central region of the United States. BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS Compiled by HENRY EIRKELAND* ROLAND, IOWA This list contains the names of: (1) those who were born in Iowa and be- came ornithologists either in Iowa or outside the state at a later date; (2i those who were born outside Iow f a but made ornithological studies of note within the state; and (3) members of Iowa Ornithologists’ Union who died in the period 1923-1951. Under each name is given as much of the following information as it has been possible to obtain: Date and place of birth and death; age at nearest birthday; publication where a biographical sketch or notice of death is to be found. Abbott, William Louis. Born, Philadelphia, Pa., Feb, 23, i860. Died, Northeast, Md., Apr, 2, 193 6 {76}. Auk, 1936: 369-370. Aldrich, Charles. Born, Ellington., N. 'i ., Oct. 2, 1828. Died, Boone, Iowa, March 8, 1908 (79+). Auk, 1910: 119-124 (portrait) Allen, Arthur Francis. Born, Warren, 111., Dec. IS, 1867. Died, Sioux City, Iowa, Aug. 22, 1949 (82-). Allen, Joel Asaph. Born, Springfield, Mass., July 19, 18 38. Died, Cormvall-on-Hudson, N. Y., Aug. 29, 1921 (S3) . Auk, 1921: 490-492; 1922: 1-14 (por- trait) . Ai.lert, Mks. Oscar Paul. Born, McGregor, Iowa, March 23, 1899. Died, Giard, Iowa, Jan, 12, 1933 (34-). Iowa Bird Life, 1933: 10. Anderson, Axel John. Born, Hjortshog, Sweden, Feb. 8, 1869. Died, Sioux City, Iowa, Nov, 4, 1923 ( 55 -). Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 30-32 (portrait). Baii.ev, Bert Heald. Born, Farley, Iowa, May 2, 1875, Died, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 22, 1917 (42). Auk, 1917: 512. Prnc la. Acad. Sci., 1917: 22-25. Raptorial Birds of Iowa, 1918: 11-17 ( portrait) , Wilson Bull., 1917: 195-197. * To these friends who have helped in the preparation of this index, 1 hereby make grateful acknowledgment: Chas. C. Ayres. Jr.;, O P. Allert; It. M. Anderson: W J. Breckenridjfe ; T L Chadbourne: Alice H. Currier: Ella L, Clarke; Janette A. DuMont: Emory H English, editor of "Annals of Iowa”; Ira N Gahrielson ; J. Harold Ennis; James E, Harlan; .James Hodges; M L Jones : Charles Ft. Keyes; T S. Palmer; Fred J. Pierce; the Registrar of Parsons Col- We R W Schortfer ; Charles J. Spiker; Southern Calif. Academy of History, Arts & Sciences; Charles H. Wells; Toni R Weruklburg ; Wm. Youn^worth ; and any others 1 may have for- gotten to mention.— H. B. INDEX OF IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS 33 Bailey, John H. Born, Danesville, N. Y., May 23, 1909. Died, Davenport, Iowa, July 5, 1948 (39). Iowa Bird Life, 194$: 39. Baker, Walter D, Born, Sept. 29, 1900. Died, Ottumwa, Iowa, Oct. 11, 1943. Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 16* Beal, Foster Ellenborough Lascelles. Born, South Groton (Ayer), Mass*, Jan. 9, 1840* Died, Branchville, Md., Oct. 1, 1916 (77-). Auk, 1917: 112, 243-264 (portrait). Wilson Bull*, 1931: 1 S3-1S5. Bennett, George. Born, Cornwall, England, Jan, 19, 1852. Died, McGregor, Iowa, Aug. 18, 1928 (77). Auk, 1928: 540. Iowa Bird Life, 1933: 44 (portrait). Blosser, Kate LaMar. Born, LaMar Station, Mo., Nov. 21, 1889. Died, Patterson, Iowa, Feb. 6, 1944 ( 54+ ) . Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 7-8 (portrait). Bond, Frank. Born, Johnson Co., Iowa, June 30, 1856. Died, Washington, D.C., July 22, 1940 { 84} . Auk, 1944: 685-686. Bryan, William Alansqn. Born, New Sharon, Iowa, Dec. 23, 1875. Died, Los Angeles, Calif., June IS, 1942 ( 66 ). Los Angeles Examiner, June 19, 1942 (portrait) Southern Calif. Acad, Sci, Bull, Voh 41, 1942: 115-118 (portrait). Who's Who in America, 1938. Burk, Walter L. Born, Vinton, Iowa, about 1893. Died, Vinton, Iowa, Nov. 16, 1944 (51), Iowa Bird Life, 1945: 13-14. Ru/hHv, William. Born, Boonesboro, Iowa, July 28, 1878. Died, Boone, Iowa, Dec. 2, 1944 (66+), Iowa Bird Life, 1945: 14. Buzby, Mrs. William (nee Bertha Catherine Rugger) Born, Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 17, 1887. Died, Boone, Iowa, Dec. 2, 1944 (58-). Iow f a Bird Life, 1945: 14. Cherrie, George Kruck. Born, Knoxville, Iowa, Aug. 22, 1865. Died, Newfane, Vt, Jan. 20, 1948 (82). Auk, 1948: 339; 1951, 260-261. Cooke, Wells Woodb ridge. Born, Haydenville, Mass., Jan. 25, 1858. Died, Washington, D.C., March 30, 1916 (58), Auk, 1916: 3 54-355 ; 1917: H9-132 (portrait) , Currier. Edmonde Samuel* Born, Keokuk, Iowa, June 21, 1868 Died, Portland, Ore., Apr. 25, 1949 (81-). Dawson, William Leon. Born, Leon, Iowa, Feb. 20, 1873. Died. Columbus, Ohio, Apr* 30, 1928 (55). Auk, 1928: 417. Condor, 1939: 232 (portrait). Dickey, Donald Ryder, Born, Dubuque, Iowa, March 31, 1887. Died, Pasadena, Calif., April 15, 1932 (45 ) * Auk, 1932: 517-518. Condor, 1934: 59-66 (portrait). Dole, J. Wilbur. Born, Jefferson Co., Iowa, Feb. 7, 1869* Died, Iowa City, Iowa, July 19, 1949 (80+ ) . Iowa Bird Life, 1949: 58 (portrait). Duer, Harry EldeN. Born, Marshalltown, Iowa, March 21, 1877, Died, Cleveland, Ohio, March 20, 1947 (70). Auk, 1949: 395. Ehinger* Clyde Ernst. Born, Franklin Center, Iowa, March 11, 1858. Died, Keokuk, Iowa, Jan. 3, 1935 (77-). Iowa Bird Life, 1935: 29 (portrait). Evermann, Barton Warren, Born, Albia, Iowa, Oct. 24, 1853. Died, Berkeley, Calif-, Sept. 27, 1932 (79), Auk, 1933 : 465-466. Ficke, Frances Davison. Born, Davenport, Iowa, Aug. 31, 1860. Died, Davenport, Iowa, Sept. 22, 1945 (85). Iowa Bird Life, 1946: 8. Frankel, Mrs. Henry. Born, Rock Island, 111., Jan. 30, 1886. Died, Hollywood, Calif-, Nov. 20, 1948 (63-)* Iowa Bird Life, 1948: 72* Iowa Official Register, 1931-32 (por- trait). Funk, Mrs. Abraham Benjamin (Net- tie Sawyer). Born, Okoboji, Iowa, Dec. 13, 1870. Died, Des Moines, Iowa, July 9, 1934 (63). Iowa Bird Life, 1934: 31. Gessell, Mrs. Jean Pulver. Born, Reynolds, Nebr., May 29, 1890. Pied, Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 10, 1948 (58). Iowa Bird Life, 1948: 72* 34 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI, 1951 Gilbert, Winifred Mae. Born, Garner, Iowa, Apr. 1, 1893. Died, Cedar Falls, Iowa, June 17, 1939 (46). Iowa Bird Life, 1939: 42 (portrait). Gillespie, Richard. Born, Hamilton, Ont., Canada, Sept. 24, 1869. Died, Rav City, Mich,, March 10, 1934 (64+ l' Iowa Bird Life, 1934: 23 (portrait). Greenwood, Orin M. Born, Manchester, Iowa, June 7, 1871. Died, Manchester, Iowa, Feb. 15, 1934 ( 63-). Iowa Bird Life, 1934: 23. Oologist, 1934: 45, Guthrie^ Joseph Edward. Born, York, N. Y., Sept. 24, 1871. Died, Ames, Iowa, April 16, 1935 (64-). Iowa Bird Life, 1935: 29-30 (portrait). Hall, Fred Holland. Born, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Oct. 31, 1873. Died, Ottumwa, Iowa, Feb. 22, 1942 ( 68 ). Iowa Bird Life, 1942; 31. Harlan, Edgar Rubey. Born, Spartansburg, Ind., Feb. 28, 1869. Died, Des Moines, Iowa, July 15, 1941 (72). Iowa Official Register, 1931-32: 221. Hartman, John Clark. Born, Waterloo, Iowa, June 21, 1861, Died, Waterloo, Iowa, Ian. 3, 1941 (79-). Iowa Bird Life, 1941 : 17. Hegner, Robert W. Born, Decorah, Iowa, Feb. 1 5, 1880. Died, Baltimore, Md., March 11, 1942 (62). Auk, 1942: 612-613. Hemsley, Ethan Allen. Born, Janesville, Iowa, Oct. 1 5, 1 887. Died, Dubuque, Iowa, March 7, 1947, (60-). Iowa Bird Life, 1947: 33 (portrait), Henderson, Junius. Born, Marshalltown, Iowa, April 30, 1865. Died, Boulder, Colo., Nov. 4, 1937 (73 ). Auk, 1948: 167. Henning, Carl Fritz. Born, Germany, March 14, 1865, Died, Boone, Iowa, Sept. 15, 1941 (76+ ) . Iowa Bird Life, 1933: 3 (portrait); 1941: 69-70, Ho'Ck, Jacob Hans. Born, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, April 8, 1872. Died, Spirit Lake, Iowa, Jan. 5, 1942 (70). Iowa B'rd Life, 1942: 31. Horchem, Bernard John. Born, Dubuque, Iowa, Dec. 4, 1866. Died, Vera Cruz, Mexico, Julv 23, 1932 (66-). Iowa Bird Life, 1933: 10. Hornaday, William Temple. Born, Plainfield, Ind., Dec. 1, 1854. Died, Stamford, Conn., March 6, 1937 (S3-). Nature Mag., 1937: 303-304 (portrait) ; 1945; 374-376 (portrait). Horsfall, Robert Bruce. Burn, Clinton, Iowa, Oct. 21, 1868. Died, Long Branch, N.J., March 24, 1948 (79). Auk, 1950: 141. Jones, Lynds. Burn, Jefferson, Ohio, Jan. 5, 1865. Died, Oberlin, Ohio, Feb. 1 1, 1951 (86). Wilson Bull., 1938: 225-238 (portraits). Kearny, Stephen Watts. Born, Newark, N.J., Aug. 30, 1794, Died, Vera Cruz, Mexico, Oct. 31, 1848 (54). Annals of Iowa, July, 1893: 369. Kelly, Harry McCormick. Born, Harrisburg, Pa., May 27, 1867. Died, Mt, Vernon, Iowa, April 10, 1936 ( 69 -), Iowa Bird Life, 1936: 55. Krider, John. Born, Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 17, 1813, Died, Philadelphia, Pa., Nov. 12, 1886 (74-). Iowa Bird Life, 1939: 50-51, Oologist, 1933: 74-80. Kurth, Ernest A. Born, Hop kin ton, Iowa, Nov. 19, 1905. Died, Grinnell, Iowa, May 10, 1950 (44) . Iowa Bird Life, 1950: 48 (portrait). Law, John Eugene. Born, Forest City, Iowa, Aug. 26, 1877. Died, Glendale, Calif., Nov. 14, 1931 (54). Auk, 1932: 268-269. Condor, 1932: 165-173 (portrait). La zell, Fred J. Born, Colchester, England, Jan. 6, 1868. Died, Des Moines, Iowa, Sept. 23, 1940 (72). Iowa City Press-Citizen, Sept. 24, 1940, Sec. 2, p. 1, Leopold, Aldo Starker. Born, Burlington, Iowa, Jan. 11, 1887. Died, Portage, Wis., April 21, 1948 (61). Auk, 1948: 464, 648-649. Wilson Bull., 1948; 123. Lights , Elizabeth. Born, Died, Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 19, 1930. lOU Bull., 1929: 19 Iowa Bird Life, 1932: 14 Naum an, Emil Danton. Born, Keota, Iowa, Dec. 19, 1864. Died, Sigournev, Iowa, Dec. 15, 1935 (71-) . INDEX OF IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS 35 Iowa Bird Life, 1931: 30-31 (portrait) ; 1936: 13 (portrait). Nutting, Charles Cleveland. Born, Jacksonville, III., May 25, 1858. Died, Iowa City, Iowa, Jan. 29, 1927 (69-). Annals of Iowa, Vol. 16; 79. Orr, Ellison. Born, McGregor, Iowa, June 14, 1857. Died, Waukon, Iowa, Jan. 25, 1951 (93). Des Moines Register, Jan. 27, 1951: 16. Iowa Bird Life, 1936: 30 (portrait) ; 1945: 25-28 (portrait) ; 1951 : 11. Paarman. J. Herman. Born, Sept. 2, 1870. Died, Davenport, Iowa, July 14, 1927 ■ (57-). Pal as, Mrs. Arthur J. Born, Osage, Iowa, Jan. 21, 1885. Died, Des Moines, Iowa, Nov. 18, 1934 (SO-). Iowa Bird Life, 1934: 54 (portrait). Pa mm el, Louis Herman. Born, La Crosse, Wis., April 19, 1862. Died, enroute Calif. -Utah, March 23, 1931 (69-). Iowa Bird Life, 1931: 27-28. Peabody, Putnam Burton. Born, Alden, Wis., July 28, 1856. Died, Topeka, Kans., Oct. 8, 1937 (81). Iowa Bird Life, 1938: 31. Peck, George D. Born, Great Barrington, Mass., June 3, 1 839. Died, Salem, Ore., 1936 (96). Oo'ogist, 1932; 6 (portrait) ; 1936, 68, 7S. Pei.tETT, Frank Chapman. Bom, Atlantic, Iowa, July 12, 1879. Died, Atlantic, Iowa, Apr, 28, 1951 0 2 - ) , Atlantic News-Telegraph, Apr. 30, 1951; 1 & S (portrait). Des Moines Register, Apr, 29, 1951: 6 (portrait) . Wilson Bull., 1929: 255 (portrait). Pr/bcer, William Emiuus. Born, Belfast, Ireland, Sept. 10, 1863. Died, Michillsnda, Mich., Aug. 13, 1936 (73). Auk, 1940: 148. Am. Men of Science, 1929: 786. Preston t J, W. Born, Ohio, 1856. Died, 'Cheney, Wash., Jan. 5, 1917 (61). Roberts: Birds of Minn., 1932, Vol. 1; 7- Oologist, 1917: 39, 77 (portrait), Pr’CE, Char es Warren. Born, Humboldt, Iowa, Sept. 26, 1868. Died, Spirit Lake, Iowa, Apr. 10, 1942 ( 74-) . Iowa Bird Life, 1942: 31-32. Rich, Guy Cyrus. Born, Schuvlerville, N, Y., July 26, 1861. Died, Hollywood, Calif., Oct'. 22, 1944 (83). Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 2S-30 (portrait), 79. Rosen e, Walter Melvin, Born, Ogden, Iowa, Dec. 17, 1880. Died, Lies Moines, Iowa, Sept. 14, 1941 (61). Iowa Bird Life, 1941: 62-66 (portrait). Rosene, Mrs. Walter Melvin. Born, Sweden, March IS, 1880. Died, Boone, Iowa, Sept. 22, 1939: (59+ ) . Iowa Bird Life, 1939: 56. Ross, William Graham. Born, Mason, Pa., Feb, 19, 1859. Died. Fairfield, Iowa, May 23, 1925 (66). Iowa Bird Life, 1938: 29-30. Savage, Walter Giles. Born, Died, Glenwood, (Ark.?), Aug., 1917. Auk, 1919: xiiv. Savage, William. Born, Cayuga Co., England, Sept. 2, 1833. Died, Van Buren Co., Iowa, July 8, 190S (75-). Annals of Iowa, 1908: 557; 1933: 82-83 ( portrait) . Oologist, 1908: 149-151. Scoucale, Alexander. Born, Chicago, 111., 1842. Died, Seattle, Wash., 1915? Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 27. Sel.ls, Emery Wyant. Born, Webster City, Iowa. Died, Paton, Iowa, Feb. 4, 1932. Iowa Bird Life, 1932: 8. Sherman, Althea Rosina. Bom, Clayton Co., Iowa, Oct. 10, 1853. Died, National, Iowa, April 16, 1943 (89+ )„ Iowa Bird Life, 1943: 18-36 (portraits). Iowa Acad. Sci., 1944: 125-126 (por- trait). Shimek, Bohumil. Born, Shueyville, Iowa, June 25, 1861, Died, Iowa City, Iowa, Jan. 3!?, 1937 (76-). Annals of Iowa, 1937: 635-636, Iowa Bird Life, 1937, 13-14, Spurrell., John Arthur. Born, Wall Lake, Iowa, Apr, 21, 1889. Died, Wall Lake, low 1 a, Apr. 1, 1923 (34-) Steffen, Emily. Born, Reinbeck, Iowa, Jan, 15, 1892. Died, Waterloo, Iowa, May 30, 1948 ( 56+ ) , Iowa Bird Life, 1948; 39. IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI 1951 36 Stephens, Thomas Calderwooo. Born, Adrian, Mich., March 9, l S 76. Died, Sioux City, Iowa, Nov. 24, 1948 (73-). Auk, 1949: 396. Iowa Acad. Sci., 1949: 57-58 (portrait). Iowa Bird Life, 1943: 2-6 (portraits); 1948: 71-72; 1949: 11-12. Wilson Bull., 1949: 126, Steppan, Joseph Theodore. Born, Staab, Austria, Feb. 22, 18 55. Died, Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 23, 1945 (90). Annals of Iowa, 1945: 79. Stoner, Dayton. Born, North Liberty, Iowa, Nov. 26, 1883. Died, Albany, N. Y., May 8, 1944 <60+ ). Iowa Acad. Sci. f 1945: 58-60 (portrait). Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 79. Struck, Kuno Herbert. Born, Davenport, Iowa, Oct. 4, 1883. Died, Davenport, Iowa, March 4, 1947 (63). Iowa Bird Life, 1947: 33. Talbot, Daniel. Hector. Born, Iowa City, Iowa, June 17, 1850. Died, Sioux City, Iowa, Dec. 26, 1911 (61 + ) . Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 20-27 (portrait). Taylor, Mrs. H. J. (Rose Eugenia Schuster) Born, Middleton, Wis., Jan. 5, 1863. Died, Berkeley, Calif., Jan, 25, 1951 ( 88 ). Iowa Bird Life, 1951: 2-5 (portrait). 1’ I ED EM A N N , KlTTY, Born, Des Moines Co., Iowa, May 29, 1865. Died, Burlington, Iowa, Jan. 19, 1936 (70). Iowa Bird Life, 1936: 28. Townsend, Manley Bacon. Born, New Britain, Conn., 1869. Died, March 1, 1929 (60), Bird-Lore, 1914: 520 (portrait), Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 33-34 (portrait). Trippe, Thomas Martin. Born, New York, N, Y 1848. Died, Denver, Colo,, Dec 5, 1924 (77). Roberts: Birds of Minn., Vol. 1: 3-4. Tuttle, Mrs. Flora May. Born, Delaware Co., Iowa, April 15, 1868. Died, Osage, Iowa, Feb. 3, 1931 (63-). Iowa Bird Life, 1931: 14 (portrait.) Vorhies, Charles Taylor. Born, Henry Co., Iowa, Sept, 7, 1879, Died, Washington, D.C., March 10, 1949 (69). Auk, 1950; 141. Walters, Mrs. Gus, Born, Died, Cedar Falls, Iowa, July 31, 1897. Iowa Ornith., 1897: 62. Webster, Edward Barton. Born, Cresco, low'a, Oct. 29, 1868, Died, Fort Angeles, Wash., Jan, 7, 1936 ( 68 ). Wilson Bull., 1938: 47-55 (portrait). Weeks, LeRoy Titus. Born, Mt, Vernon, Iowa, Feb. 1, 1854. Died, Tabor, Iowa, March 4, 1927 (73). Iowa Bird Life, 1932: 2 (portrait). Wilson Bull., 1927: 87-90 (portrait) ; 115-116. Wells, Charles H. Born, Huntley, III., Sept. 21, 1855. Died, Boone, Iowa, Feb. 18, 1926 (70). Iowa Bird Life, 1944: 27. W estover. Myron Fayette. Born, Vinton, Iowa, July 10, 1860. Died, Schenectady, N.Y., Oct, 21, 1933 (73). Auk, 1934: 70; 1944: 343-344. Who's Who in America, 1928: 2191, Whitney. Thomas Hayes. Born, Atlantic, Iowa, July 9, 1877, Died, Atlantic, Iowa, Sept 10, 1929 (52). Wilson Bull., 1929: 256-257 (portrait). Williams, Billy. Born, Died, 1929. Iowa Bird Life, 1932: 14. Wilson, Burtis Harris. Born, Shavertown, N.Y., Oct. 11, 1872. Died, Davenport, Iowa, Sept. 10, 1940 ( 68 ). Wilson, Ellis E. Born, Mahaska Co., Iowa, March 29, 1861. Died, Waterloo, Iowa, March 12, 1938 (77). Iowa Bird Life, 1933: 31 (portrait); 1938: 31. Waterloo Courier, March 1 3, 1938, Sec. 2, p. 13. Woodward, Mrs. W. M. Born, Ki I bourn, Wis., Sept. 19, 1869. Died, Independence, Iowa, Sept. 18, 1939 (70). Iowa Bird Life, 1939: 56. THE SPENCER CONVENTION 37 REPORT ON THE SPENCER CONVENTION Bv LILLIAN SERBOUSEK Reti rinp Seey-Treas. Iowa Ornitologists' Union Members of the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union convened in Spencer for the 29th annual meeting Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13, at which Drs, Everett and Eunice Christensen and the Clay County Garden Clubs were hosts. The Spencer Chamber of Commerce welcomed visiting members, Saturday’s sessions began with bird hikes at 6 a.m, to two areas the Spencer gardens and the slough and lake region near Ruthven. Registration for the convention was at 10 a.m. in the lobby of Spencer High School auditorium. Flowers, books and magazines on natural history, and bird pottery were displayed in a room adjoining. The afternoon ses- sion, held in the school Assembly Room, was opened at 2 o’clock by a wel- come speech by President R W. Johnson. Several announcements were made, and the minutes of the May, 1950, meeting were read and approved. The President reported briefly on the 1950 fall meeting which had been held September 24. at the Ledges State Park, with Mr. and Mrs. Myrle L. Jones in charge. The Treasurer's report, which showed a balance of $321.31, was read and accepted. The Auditing Committee, Drs. Robert Vane and Alfred Meyer, reported that the Treasurer's books had been examined and found to be correct and in good condition. The Secretary read the Librarian’s report, after which a motion was made and seconded that papers presented at annual meetings be filed with the Librarian. President Johnson read a letter from Dr. Charles Stewart of New Albin, to the effect that hts committee deemed it inadvisable to com- plete the work on “Check-List of the Birds of Iowa by the Iowa Ornitholog- ists Union" as reported at the 1950 meeting. Rising printing costs necessitat- ed this decision. However, it was moved and seconded that a supply of the Daily Field Checking List be printed. NEW OFFICERS OF IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS* UNION ALBERT C, BERKO WITZ MRS. GEORGE (FRIEDA) CROSSLEY President Sec ’y -Treasurer 38 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI, 1951 Dr. Martin L. Grant, chairman of a special committee appointed at the Davenport meeting, presented the recommendations of his group. A special committee, called the Field-List Committee, is to be appointed by the Union's president at the initial session of the convention. Its duties are to prepare and censor the convention field-list of birds observed, in accordance with certain principles and procedures which were listed. It was voted to ac- cept this report and that it go into effect at the May. 1951. meeting. The President then appointed Dr, Martin L. Grant. Bruce Stiles and W. W. Barrett to serve on this committee. Union members were reminded that the fall meeting is to be held at Newton on the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Moore, The Secretary then issued an invitation by the Cedar Rapids Bird Club that the May, 1952, meeting be held in Cedar Rapids. It was voted to accept this invitation. Clifford Johnson of Dubuque gave a brief report on the Connecticut Audubon Camp, and John P. Moore concluded the afternoon meeting with a colored motion picture of the goose flight concentrated at Forney Lake last March. At 6:30 p.m. the annual banquet was served at the Sacred Heart Church to about 85 persons. Kenneth Scott of Spencer presided. Guest speaker was Dr, Walter J. Breckenridge of the University of Minnesota who presented a most interesting illustrated lecture of colored motion pictures in three parts. This lecture was given at the high school auditorium. The film be- gan with birds photographed in the Breckenridge yard, followed by a de- tailed study of Wood Ducks that have nested near the speaker's home for seven years. Of particular interest were the pictures showing young Wood Ducks leaving the nest. The last part, ’The Duck Hunter’s Dilemma ”, a film for sportsmen and laymen, showed how such practices as painting the feathers and using x-ray help a biologist set up experiments and carry them out in the field of wildlife reseaxch. Field trips Sunday at 6 a.m, were to Lakeside Laboratory, East and West Okoboji and Spirit Lakes, and Mine-Wakan State Park, These terminat- ed at Gull Point State Park, where luncheon was served at 1 p.m. A short business meeting followed. George Crossley read the Resolutions. It was moved and seconded that his report be accepted. The Nominating Com- mittee, composed of Myrle L. Jones, Mrs. R. S. Ruegnitz and Edward L. Koz- icky, gave the names of new officers (as listed on the cover page of this issue h They were elected by unanimous ballot cast by the Secretary upon motion of the voting members. There was some discussion about increasing our treasury funds, but no definite action was taken. As the last item of business it was voted to in- clude only birds observed on Sunday, May 13, in the composite list. The total was 123 species. Twenty other species were seen on the May 12 field trips that were not observed Sunday. Our first Spencer meeting was then ad- journed, and hurried farewells were given before departure to various parts of the state. Resolutions— BE IT SO RESOLVED, that we thank our various officers and congratulate them on a job well done; and extend special appreciation to Fred J. Pierce for continuing to publish a high-calibre "Iowa Bird Life"; and also special appreciation for the years of faithful service to the organi- zation by our outgoing Secretary-Treasurer, Miss Lillian Serbousek. Be it further resolved that we extend thanks and appreciation to the various people in Spencer who have helped to make this convention a suc- ce r s, namely Mrs, Edington, Mrs. Anderson, the Doctors Christensen, and members of Clay County Garden Club and Spencer Chamber of Commerce. Be it further resolved that we go on record as approving the splenc’id work being carried on by our Iowa Conservation Commission; that we com- THE SPENCER CONVENTION 39 mend the Commission for its excellent publication, “Iowa Conservationist ; that we go on record as appreciating and commending the research being Carried on concerning wildlife conservation at the educational institutions throughout the state. Be it further resolved that we express the sympathy of the Iowa Orni- thologists' Union in the death of its oldest member, Mr. Ellison Orr. Be it further resolved that we extend thanks and appreciation to Dr. W. J. Breckenridge for his very entertaining and instructive illustrated lecture. Respectfully submitted. George E. Cross ley. Chairman Dr, Everett Christensen Mrs. Ralph Johnson Attendance Register.— Ames. R. W. Breckenridge. Dr. Geo. Hendrickson. Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Johnson, E. L. Kozicky, Helen Smith; BOONE, Mr and Mrs. M. L. Jones; CEDAR FALLS, Dr. and Mrs. M. L. Grant; CEDAR RAP- IDS. Esther Copp, Lillian Serbousek, Myra Willis; DAYTON, Clarence Peel; DECORAH, Mrs. Albert Bauder, Mrs. Burt Henning, Mrs. T, T. Henning, Mrs. A. C. Lynch; DES MOINES, Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Berkowitz, Mr. and Mrs. Woodward Brown, Mrs. W. G, DuMont, Mrs. H, R. Peasley, Bruce F. Stiles; DUBUQUE, Henry Herrmann, C. O. Johnson. Mrs. Robt. Ruegnitz. Ival Schuster, Edra Walter; FARLEY, Mr. and Mrs, George Crossley; FONDA, Mrs. J. B, Byers, Katherine Thielen; NEWTON. James Gaylor, Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Moore; ROCK RAPIDS, Mr. and Mrs. O. S. Thomas; RUTHVEN. Ward Tanner: SIOUX CITY, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Barrett, H. M. Edwards, Zell Lee. Mr. and Mrs, H. L. Lambert. Bob Nicholson, Ruth Sampson, Catherine Seamans, Bernice Scautleburv, Gertrude Weaver; SPENCER. Mrs. A. E, Anderson, Mrs. K R. Camp. Eloise Carlstrom, Dr, and Mrs. Everett Christen- sen, Maxine Christopherson, Mrs. I. J. Dvergsten, Mrs, Frank Edington, Christine Larsen, Mr. and Mrs. Gould Morgan, Margaret Pollock; SPIRIT LAKE, Hazel Drake, Mildred Ressler; THOR, Dennis Carter: WATERLOO, R. M. Hays, C. W, Robertson; LUVERNE. MINN., Ann Barrett; MINNEAPO- LIS. MINN., Dr. W. J. Breckenridge; WORTHINGTON. MINN . Mr. and Mrs, Carl Johnson, David Johnson; SIOUX FALLS, S. DAK., H. F. Chapman, J. S. Findley, Herbert Krause. Total registered. 76. Birds Seen on the Field Trip.— Spencer and Spirit Lake regions, May 13, 1951. Eared and Pied-billed Grebes, Double-crested Cormorant, Green Heron, Am. Bittern, Mallard, Pintail. Blue-winged Teal. Shoveller, Wood Duck, Lesser Scaup. Am. Merganser, Red-shouldered. Marsh and Sparrow Hawks, Osprey, European Partridge, Ring-necked Pheasant, Sora, Am. Coot, Kill- deer, Am. Golden, Black-bellied and Upland Plovers, Spotted, Pectoral and Least Sandpipers, Lesser Yellow-legs, Wilson's Phalarope, Herring Gull, Forster's, Common and Black Terns. Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl, Chimney Swift. Ruby-thr. Hummingbird. Belted Kingfisher, Flicker, Red- bellied, Red-headed. Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Eastern Kingbird, Crested, Acadian, Alder and Least Flycatchers, Prairie Horned Lark, Tree, Bank, Rough-winged, Barn and Cliff Swallows, Purple Martin, Blue Jay, Crow, Chickadee. Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House and Prairie Marsh Wrens, Catbird, Brown Thrasher. Robin, Olive-backed. Gray- cheeked and Willow Thrushes, Bluebird. Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Wax- wing, Migrant Shrike, Starling, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Philadelphia and Warbling Vireos, Black and White. Tenn., Orange-crowned. Nashville, Yellow, Magnolia, Myrtle, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Chestnut- sided, Black-poll, Palm, Wilson’s and Canada Warblers, Oven-bird, Grin- nell's and Louisiana Water-thrushes, Northern Yellow-throat, Redstart, Bobo- 40 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI, 1951 link. Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds, Bal- timore Oriole, Bronzed Grackle, Cowblrd, Scarlet Tanager, Cardinal. Rose- breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Goldfinch. Red-eyed Towhee, English, Savannah, Grasshopper, Vesper, Lark, Chipping, Clay-colored, Field, Harris's, White-throated. Lincoln's, Swamp and Song Sparrows. Total, 123 species. Each year we print the convention field-trip list and include the Philadelphia Yireo, On the croup field trip the observers are unnamed so we don’t know who see? the Philadelphia Yireo, The croup lists an- interesting th uch they have hut slight scientific value, for. as Dr, F. L. R. Roberts has pointed out, . the best ornithologists in the state participate in our field trips, yet the accuracy of our lists is no greater than is the skill of the least capable person reporting." Dr. Thos. S. Roberts, in -Birds of Minnesota”, says: ’The Philadelphia Vireo, m size and general appearance, is an almost exact counterpart of the Warbling, the light yellow of the entire underp&rtS being the only discernible field mark, It requires a good light to distinguish this, and only careful observation will prevent confusing the two species in life . .'."—Ed. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE What Is wrong with our organization? There seem to be several things wrong, so this is a sincere Question, asked of all the membership, with a def- inite request for your answers. What can be done to increase the usefulness of our club? What more should we do as individuals or as a group to benefit bird life? How can we spread interest in Bird Study, and also increase membership in our Union? Could it be that the very name of our organization should be changed? How many of us think of ourselves as ornithologists? Your newly elected President is one who does not think so. Because the name is so old and well established it, no doubt, should and will remain, but how about a sub-title such as "The State Bird Club "? Does the name Ornithologists Union scare away some people who, like myself, are. at best, only poor amateurs? Would it be logical to suggest that our official publication as well as our stationery carry the information, "Membership open to everyone interacted in Bird Study and Conservation of Bird Life"? Could our Union add some new projects on which our members might work? As both amateur and professional are there other useful and inter- esting activities for us, such as the Christmas Bird Count? Might we be able to assist the Conservation Commission in educating people to plant more of the right kind of cover for wild life protection and food? If, dear member, you have read this message thus far, you notice it is full of questions. And if you care two “chirps" about the organization, I urge you to give your best thought to some of the answers. And sit right down and write your own ideas to your unexpected and bewildered new President. I promise to answer you. — ALBERT C. BERKOWITZ, 1912 Grand Avenue, Des Moines 14, Iowa. GENERAL NOTES Upland Plover Nesting near Mt. Pleasant— In the week of May 7, 1951, one of my students found a nest in a pasture, and I went out with him to iden- tify it. We had difficulty finding the nest, and after we had searched the ground for about 20 minutes, I saw the bird crouched in the grass almost at my feet. It was an Upland Plover, on the first nest of the species I had ever seen, I wanted color photographs of the nest, but the next two days we had very heavy rains, and 1 wondered if she would come through all right. On the evening of May 11. I again went to see the nest, and again I had trouble seeing the bird although I knew exactly where she was. She would lie so near the ground with her head and beak right against the earth and the grass pulled up around her. it was almost impossible to see her. I watched GENERAL NOTES 41 her for a few minutes, and as she showed no alarm, I decided to see if 1 could touch her, I moved up slowly and put my hand on her back. Still she did not become very much excited, so I picked her up and held her in my hand for a minute or two. She did not fight or show signs of great fear. When I put her down she ran a few steps then flew away. At noon on May 12 I got the photograph I wanted. The sitting bird did not permit me to ap- proach quite so close as she did in the evening, but she did not fly far after leaving the nest. There were four eggs in the nest. I revisited the nest several times, and on May 27 I thought it should be about time for the eggs to hatch, so I went again. The female was very tame and allowed me to approach near enough so that I reached out and pet- ted her on the head and back with one finger. The eggs were not hatching, however. On May 30, in company with Dr. H. E. Jaques, I again visited the place. This time both adult birds were flying overhead before we reached the nest. We found three young in the nest, and they must have just hatched for their legs seemed very weak and they were unable to run. The remains of three egg shells were still in the nest, We did not find the fourth bird, and it was probable that it hatched the day before and was somewhere in the tall grass. The nest had four eggs in it when the boy found it on May 6; as three of the eggs hatched on May 30. it took 24 or more days for the eggs to hatch. I took color photos of the eggs, the adults and the young birds — ROY OLLIVIER. Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Winter Feeding of Pheasants After Heavy Snow.— Several times during the past two years the writers have observed pheasants feeding at placev where manure and straw litter had been scattered on deep, snow-coveied fields in the vicinity of Manchester. The pheasants were apparently attracted to the dark-colored litter either because it looked like open ground or possibly because of previous experience in finding grain there. From seven to 26 pheasants have been seen foraging on freshly spread litter. In some instances a few individuals were seen walking out to the litter from fence rows, and once three pheasants were observed flying directly to the litter from a field 60 rods away. In view of the fact that cornstalk shelters and brushy fence corners often are unsatisfactory feeding places because of deep drifting snow, use of man- ure-litter feeding might be a more effective method of getting giain and grit out where the pheasants could find it. Sportsmen and bird lovers who jiave some grain on hand for pheasant feeding could experiment with thh idea by contacting a cooperative farmer who would spread litter on stubble or plowed land where little deep drifting would be likely to occur. The grain and some gravel, oyster shell, or other grit should then be sprinkled over the litter and left for the pheasants to find. Such feeding could also be used in fields bordering heavily traveled highways and thus prevent these birds from congregating on the roads when foraging for food/ — EMMETT and EDITH POLDER, Dyersville, Iowa. Another Iowa Record of the King Eider.— On November 18, 1950, E. C. Graham of Davenport, killed a duck which he was unable to identify on the '‘Outer Basin” of the Mississippi near New Boston, Illinois. This duck was brought to the Davenport Public Museum by Charles Adamson, Stale Con- servation Officer, and v/as identified as a King Eider (Sornat/ria spcctabilis) . The ‘Outer Basin” of the New Boston area lies within the mid-stream water boundary of the state of Iowa and consequently this specimen constitutes an- other record for the state. The bird was prepared by Fred Hall, director of the Davenport Public Museum and is now in the collection of the Museum. It appears to be an immature male (inadvertently, the bird was not sexed). It is very dark, blackish-brown below; brown above with reddish-brown 42 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XXI, 1951 scapulars; secondary coverts lightly tipped with white to form an indistinct band across the wing; head and neck tan. The gizzard contained a soft, oval seed {Potamageionf), some plant fibers, some round pieces of carbonaceous material resembling charred twigs, and fine quartz gravel. The intestine was heavily parasitized throughout its length by two species of thorny-headed w o rm s {Joint ho ce /> h a (a ) . Apparently the only other record for Iowa, quoted by both Anderson (1907 1 and DuMont (1934 *, is of an immature male received by William Praeger at Keokuk on November 13 or November 10, 1894. This specimen was also taken on the Mississippi River. It is now in the collection of the Museum of Natural History of the State University of Iowa. — THOMAS MORRISSEY, Davenport, Iowa. A Cormorant in Winter, — On a different Christmas bird count from the one published in the March “Iowa Bird Life’, this one in the area of Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, a Double-crested Cormorant was found by Tom Kent, Dick Lorenz and me. This census was taken December 28, 1950. While studying the Black, Mallard and Redhead Ducks on Cedar Lake in Cedar Rapids, a strange bird glided in. One look told us what it was but not why it was there. We remained for about a half hour studying the cormorant and other birds. On this census trip we covered some 155 miles and found 35 species of birds. — NORWOOD C. HAZARD, Davenport, Iowa- Red Crossbills at Dubuque. — On December 10, 1950, during Carl Buch- heister’s visit here as an Audubon Screen Tour lecturer, we took him on a bird trip to Linwood Cemetery. One of our first observations was a flock of seven Red Crossbills. In January members of our bird club observed the birds in the same area. Because of the late cold weather, I didn't begin my customary “patrolling" of the cemetery (which is almost next door to our housei until later than usual in the spring, so I was surprised to find the Crossbills still in Linwood in April. I visited the cemetery almost every day, and saw them on almost every trip. May 1 was one of those unseason- ably hot days with temperature over 80 On that day I had the thrill of watching four Crossbills, one a fully colored male, drinking from a puddle only 10 feet away from me, in full sunlight. On May 4 they came to the Norway spruce in our back yard. We are wondering if they may choose to nest here in Linwood where there are many pine and larch trees. We are watching with interest. — MRS. ROBERT RUEGNITZ, Dubuque, Iowa, May 4, 1951. Wintering Robins at Sioux City, — The presence of a few Robins during any winter is not unusual in the Sioux City region, but the occurrence of thousands of them in this territory is of more than passing interest. Our winter (1950-51* was rather mild, and except for an inch or two of snow which melted within a few days after it fell, it was strictly an open winter and conducive to the livelihood of the Robins. I started my winter Robin records on November 19, and from then on they were recorded almost daily to January 1. From this latter date, I recorded Robins every day up to and including February 15, Many times we saw flocks up to 100, as they flew over on their way to the roost in Floyd Cemetery. On December 23, we made our annual winter bird trip through northeast Nebraska. While driving down the Bazile Creek road, which bisects Knox County, we disturbed dozens of Robins, Our ob- servations about Sioux City showed that the staple food of the Robins was fruit of the hackberry tree. A communication from Willis Hall of Yankton, South Dakota, informed us that he found Robins common all winter from Vermillion to Yankton and that their favorite food was the above-mentioned fruit — WM. YOUNGWORTH, Sioux City, Iowa, RECENT BIRD BOOKS 43 Mid-winter Notes from Northwest Iowa. — January 18, 1951, dawned clear and bright with a steady barometer and promise of mild weather, so we took off on our annual mid-winter bird trip to northwest Iowa. Our immediate goal was Oak Grove State Park in Sioux County* and w T e followed the winding Big Sioux River to our destination. Here we $at and ate our lunch at a park bench and watched the small herd of white-tailed deer feeding in the brush. Then for the next several hours we sauntered about the park and observed the numerous winter birds. The most interesting was a large, pearl-gray- colored Great Horned Owl, which kept about 100 feet ahead of us most of the time. It kept most of the small bids stirred up by its actions and gave us many close-ups of woodpeckers, nuthatches, creepers, etc. This owl was no doubt the Arctic Horned Owl, which is the white phase of this species and not often found in Iowa except in winter. The presence of this owl in the park accounted for the lack of quail and pheasants, which are usually found in some numbers. The mild, open winter kept many of the hawks around, and we flushed a flock of seven Red-tailed Hawks from the park area and also saw two Marsh Hawks and two Sparrow Hawks in the general area of the park. After leaving the park we drove up the Big Sioux valley and up into Lyon County, but birding on a clear, warm afternoon with the ground free of snow and the temperature up to 57° was not good, and we saw only three Rough-legged Hawks and a few pheasants on the return trip to Sioux City. — WM, YOUNG- WORTH, Sioux City, Iowa. RECENT BIRD BOOKS WHERE BIRDS LIVE: HABITATS IN THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES, edited by Shirley A. Briggs and Chandler S. Robbins (Audubon Society of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C., 1951; paper wrap- pers, 8vo, pp. i-ii & 1-58, with 38 illustrations; price 75c h We are glad to call attention to this well printed and useful booklet. Probably more of our Iowa members go west than go east on vacation and other trips, but lor those who do go east this publication should prove to be a useful guide. An opening chapter discusses “Importance of Habitat in the Lives of Birds.” Other chapters list and describe briefly the birds found in the various habitats— namely, under these heads: Suburban areas and orchards, woodland margins and hedgerows, upland and deciduous woods, pine woods, bottomland woods, swamps, open areas, marshes, ponds and rivers, bays and estuaries, tidal flats, ocean, ocean beaches, jetties and tidal rocks. — F. J, P. ***** BIRD STORIES, by Wm. T. Cox and Dietrich Lange (Webb Publishing Co., St. Paul, 1951?; paper wrappers, 8vo, pp. 1-110, with 44 illustrations; price, 25c). During a three-year period "The Farmer" (of St. Paul) has published a long series of bird articles. Through these articles the magazine built up a membership of 47,000 in the Farmer Bird Club. This is a fine record of achievement, for the reaching of so large a number of people over "The Farmer’s” subscription territory has aroused the interest of thousands of readers and has aided the cause of bird protection and bird study very ma- terially. The type from these bird articles was saved and reused in printing this booklet, thus making possible its sale at an unusually low price. It is packed with a great deal of information on the habits of birds. There are chapters on bird songs, migration, identification, how to attract birds, and worthwhile lessons on wildlife conservation. Many personal anecdotes add to the readability of the booklet. — F. J. P. 44 IOWA BIRD LIKE— XXI, 1951 MEMBERSHIP NEWS Henry Birkeland makes a fine contribution to Iowa ornithology in the present issue of "Iowa Bird Life." His biographical index is a valuable compilation and represents much work and research. Mr. Birkeland, a Ro- land, Iowa, farmer specializing in growing hybrid seed corn, has been a member of our Union since 1933, and has long been interested in the his- torical and biographical aspects of Iowa ornithology. Mr. Birkeland recently made a contribution of $31 to our publication fund. This is a very generous and appreciated gift which will add a number of pages to the magazine. He says that our annual dues should be raised to at least $2 a year— a view held by a good many of our members. Several of the state bird societies have raised their annual dues to $2 and $3 a year. Dues for regular membership at $2 would give us a much larger magazine and would not be out of line considering the higher price levels prevailing now. Miss Lillian Serbousek retired as Secretary-Treasurer of our Union at the May meeting. A decade of faithful service in this office is worthy of a much longer note of appreciation than we can give here. It is the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to take care of the Union's funds, pay all the bills, keep the various accounts in balance, send out dues notices, give proper credit to those who pay, drop those who are delinquent, and a dozen other duties of which the membership is hardly aware. Miss Serbousek has done the job with meticulous care and accuracy — always prompt and courteous, and always with a view to conserving our rather meager funds and making them stretch as far as possible. She has been wonderfully efficient in hand- ling a tedious, almost thankless job, and we do appreciate what she has done for the Union in the past 10 years. We congratulate Fred T, Hall on his appointment as director of the Buffalo Museum but regret his removal from Iowa. He left Davenport on May 1 for his new position in New York. Mr, Hall was a distinct asset to our Iowa organization. He is the good ornithologist and all-around worker that is very hard to replace. As a museum director he worked wonders in the Davenport Public Museum in the two years he was there. His ability along this line brought the very fine New York appointment. While in Iowa he planned two unusually fine bird meetings — our own convention at Davenport last year, and the meeting of the Wilson Ornithological Club at Davenport in late April. 1951. This was well attended and was a most successful meeting in all respects. The South Dakota Ornithologists' Union held a very gratifying meeting at Vermillion on the week-end before our own convention. The attendance was good and there was a great deal of interest shown in the program and the field trip. Their new officers are: J. S. Findley, president: Kenneth Krumm, vice-president: M, E. Burgi, treasurer; W. B. Mallory, secretary; Herman F. Chapman, editor. Their quarterly journal, "South Dakota Bird Notes", now in its third year, has become an established medium for the publication of bird notes of the Dakota region. They are accumulating many fine records. These should not be overlooked by serious Iowa bird students who are interested in extended ranges of many species and habitats which overlap those in Iowa. Sample copies may be obtained from Herman F. Chap- man. editor, 504 Security Bank Bldg., Sioux Falls, S. Dak. IOWA CHECK LISTS AGAIN AVAILABLE The Union's "Daily Field Checking Lists" have been reprinted and are again available to members who keep their bird trips indexed by way of these useful cards. If you don’t use this system, a sample order will convince you. The new printing will be sold at 2c per card postpaid, and no orders accepted for less than 25 cards. Orders should be sent to the Secy.-Treas., Mrs. George Crossley, Farley, Iowa. I