IOWA BIRD LIFE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION VOL. XVIII DECEMBER, 1948 NO. 4 OFFICERS OF THE IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION President— Charles C. Ayres. Jr.. Ottumwa, Iowa Vice-President — Dr. Robert' F. Vane, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Secy-Treas.— Miss Lillian Serbousek, 1226 Second St, S.W.. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Librarian— Dr, J. Harold Ennis, Cornell College, Ml, Vernon. Iowa Editor — Fred J. Pierce, Winthrop, Iowa Executive Council: Earnest W. Steffen. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Dr, Chas, A. Stewart. New Albin, Iowa Paul Leaverton, Indianola, Iowa The Iowa Ornithologists' Union was organized at Amqs, Iowa. February 28, 1923. for the study and prolection 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 193& Publications of the Union: Mimeographed letters, 1923-1928 ; ‘Thu Bulletin.’ 1929-1930: ‘Iowa Bird Life.’ beginning 1231- SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $100 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 2, 1932, at the post office at Winthrop. Iowa, under the Act of March 3. 1879. 58 IOWA BIRD LIFE — XVIII, 1948 SPRING CARNIVAL By JULIAN BURROUGHS* WEST PARK, N. Y. On March 27, 1858. Thoreau wrote in his journal that he sailed to Bittern Cliff where he landed and crawled over the hill, through the woods on his stomach, hoping to see waterfowl under Lee's Cliff, which he did, watching them for an hour, taking special note of the big, handsome American Mer- gansers or "Goosanders” as he so often called them. It is a pleasure to recreate the scene as Thoreau saw it almost 90 years ago:—the bright March sun on the shining water, the white pans of broken ice, the brown hills and tan-colored southern slopes, the big Mergansers flying low over the water, breaking and streaking its mirroring surface with a rush of air from the swiftly stroking wings; or drawing lines across the pond as they swam and dove, their bright- colored spring plumage reflected perfectly. So many times I have seen and experienced just what Thoreau did, those spring days, that I can under- stand how he felt. In conclusion he said. ' Now for nearly a minute there is not a feather to be seen, and the next minute you see a party of half a dozen there, chasing one another and making the water fly far and wide.” When I read that, it was almost like striking a gong, such memories it evoked: yet I know that father read those three lines without commenting on them. Though he has written of the Spring Carnival of the goldfinches, he had, I know, never witnessed the Spring Carnival of the Mergansers. I like to call it a carnival though but twice in my life have I observed this ex- citing drama. Even though many birds and animals hold a celebration of the return of spring, giving an outward expression to the joy and excitement that they feel, that of the Mergansers is especially interesting. Unlike Thoreau’s brief description, Rev. Edward Allworthy Armstrong in his delightful book. "Birds of the 'Grey Wind" ”, gives a full and vivid pic- ture of the Spring Carnival of the Red-breasted Mergansers as he so often watched it on the Irish loughs or lakes. The Red-breasted Merganser is but slightly smaller and less handsome than the American; Armstrong was evi- dently much impressed, for he wrote: "Presently there is a swish of strongly beating pinions overhead and a bunch of these ducks swarms past and settles in a shallow lagoon. Immediately all is turmoil and excitement. There is a mighty splashing and flogging of the water as the birds dash at each other, a constant coming and going, fluttering and plunging. An aquatic tournament is in progress and the lists are thronged with gay and ardent paladins parad- ing their splendor, threatening, bragging, and jousting, seemingly beside them- selves with excitement. This scene of frantic activity contrasts strangely with the placid lough, a silver mirror to the contemplative trees and tranquil sky. "The most extraordinary aspect of the performance has yet to be de- scribed. As the birds careen back and forth they constantly open wide their slender, red bills. They bob quickly and then shoot up head and neck into the air, gaping widely. It looks almost as if the birds were having spasms or retching uncontrollably toward the heavens. The females, too, will oc- casionally stretch up their necks, perform a sudden wide yawn and bring their heads down with a quick, pump-handle motion.” * Mr. Burroughs, a new member of the Iowa Ornithologists Union, is the son of John Burroughs, famous nature author, whose books were eagerly rend by thousands of nature lovers in the past generation. Mr, Burroughs lives at his father’s homo. "Rlverby”, on the Hudson River in New York. Ed, J SPRING CARNIVAL 59 Rev. Armstrong calls it all a ‘'ludricous pantomime amidst the still beauty of the Irish spring tide.” Here on the Hudson, near the Esopus Meadows Light House, when the ice is going out of the river, conditions being exactly right, I have sometimes seen the spring antics of this splendid waterfowl, the big American Merganser. On a March afternoon, when all nature is relaxed and at peace, the last of the flood tide gently loitering, everywhere the snowy ice floes and brown hills deeply reflected in the shining water, a large flock of Mergansers may gather for a little fun and excitement. Around and around they go in a great circle, chasing one another, diving, beating the water with their wings, making that odd booming call or grumping sound that seems to come up out of the water all about you, flying back and forth, going and coming, rising upon their feet to run on the water, opening their red bills, all with such evident enjoyment. Surely a spring carnival! Seldom are conditions right for all this, however — it is so often stormy or windy, either the tide running strongly or the birds too busy fishing or hurrying on north. The Mergansers surely are wonderfully powerful and adept at fish- ing. Diving swiftly and going far under water, they will sometimes come up with a large fish in their saw-toothed bills, a fish so large they will have a long tussle with it. In those long-ago days I once shot a Merganser drake that had caught and swallowed an eel much longer than himself, a full half- foot longer and to my astonishment I found that the bird had been able to fold the tail of the big eel back into his throat! When we consider how strong an eel may be, how slippery and hard to hold, it is wonderful that the Mer- ganser, without hands or any help, could tuck this twisting and squirming eel THE SPRING CARNIVAL OF MERGANSERS ON THE HUDSON RIVER From 3 ti oil painting by Julian Burroughs 00 IOWA BIRD LIFE — XVIII, 1948 tail inside. At another time I got a Merganser that had caught and swal- lowed five tom cods, all of them large enough for the frying-pan. To illustrate how a bird can act instinctively, like a flash, without time to think or study out its problem, an incident of that long ago when it was legal to shoot Mergansers, comes forcibly to mind: 3 was hidden behind an old dock, watching a flock of Mergansers coming down the shore with the ebb tide, diving for fish as they came. When they swept past the dock they were in so close to shore that I fired at the one farthest out, thinking to get one of the nearer ones as they got off the water to fly away. Well, 1 never got that shot, for instantly the inside, or near ones, dove, going under the water like a flash, before 1 could puU the trigger. Under water they swam far out in the river to come bobbing up out of gunshot— then they flew away. So often the Mergansers come and go wdth the ice, a hardy, cold-weather waterfowl they are. I’ve seen them in mountain streams that were almost frozen shut, only the rapids and swift water open, and here on the Hudson they stay as long as ice permits, returning in spring the day the ice breaks. In spring the drakes have a gorgeous rose tint on their breasts, a beautiful color that seems to glow. I remember that once William Brewster, the Cam- bridge ornithologist, showed me a mounted drake that they kept covered in darkness, to preserve this rose tint— otherwise it would soon fade, as is so often the rule with waterfowl, the nuptial plumage fading at death. Though the Mergansers do catch fish, I cannot see that they really diminish the supply of fish; on the other hand they add so much, as Thoreau discovered, to the interest and enjoyment of our waterways that now I would not think of shooting one. THE AMERICAN MERGANSER From an oil painting by Julian burrouphs THE SPRING BIRD CENSUS 61 THE SIXTH ANNUAL IOWA SPRING BIRD CENSUS Compiled by PEARLE C. WALKER We present herewith the 1943 Iowa spring bird count in tabulated form. The count is not representative of the whole state of Iowa inasmuch as eight of the nine reports came from the eastern half of the state; the ninth is from Des Moines, in central Iowa, and there are no reports from the western half of the state. The Editor of "Iowa Bird Life" assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the list. The tabulation was made by Miss Pearle C. Walker in the Ayres law office, under the supervision of President Charles C. Ayres, and was re- ceived by the Editor on November 13, just ahead of the closing date for copy for the December issue. If editorial comment is not out of place, we would like to state that we regret the absence of explanatory data accompanying the records of rare or out-of-season species. We would prefer, also, to have in- cluded the name of the individual observer, or observers, who identified such birds. We like to evaluate such records by knowing the name of the person who made the observation and the circumstances under which the bird was seen. Such clues will be indispensable for future workers who will decide whether or not we have published reliable records. We repeat what we said last year t December, 1947. issue, p. 71): The spring bird census should be prepared by a staff of compilers, as it is too big a task for one person to handle in all details. If the list is to have scientific value and justify the expense of publication, we should have a "Board of Review" to pass on the validity of rare records, and their work should begin in time to allow an adequate sur- vey of the data presented. — F. J. P. 1 . CEDAR FALLS, Black Hawk Co, Snag Creek, Goose Lake, Union Bridge and Josh Higgins Park. May 5; 5 to 12 a.m,, 1 to 4:30 p.m.; total 10!£ hours, 44 observer hours. Cloudy; light to heavy rain in a.m ; wind, 15 m.p.h.; temp. 39-48°; 30 miles by car. 15 on foot. Martin L. Grant, C, W. Robertson, Russell M, Hays, Mrs. Russell Rugg, Mrs. Ray S. Dix, Frances Crouter. 2. CEDAR RAPIDS. Linn Co. C Street woods. Swan, Amana and Cedar Lakes, Mound Farm, Memorial Park, Stone Quarry, Iowa City, NE of Cedar Rapids 14 miles, and roadsides; upland and lowland woods, lakes and marshes, limestone quarry, meadows and plowed land. May 9; 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m,; total 12 V 2 hours, 141 observer hours. Cloudy; ,12 in. rain; wind, E, 10 m.p.h,; temp. 48-52°; 100 miles by car, 10 on foot. Sixteen observers in three parties. Myra Willis, Evelyn Chadbourne, Duane Nesetril, C. Esther Copp, Lucile Ol- inger, Robert Pike, Walter Pike, Lillian Serbousek, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Vane, Dorothy Jensen, Dick Turner, Mrs. Frances Jahn, Dr. and Mrs. P. P. Laude. Knute Nomland. 3. DES MOINES. Polk Co. Crocker Woods, Pine Hill Cemetery, Fisher’s Lake, Parker Woods, Camp Dodge woods. Lower Towner Lake. Walnut Woods State Park, Impounding Reservoir (Des Moines Water Works), Glendale Cemetery, Greenwood Park, Ashworth Park, Charles Sing Denman Woods, adjoining localities and roadsides. May 8; total observer hours, 39 r Partly cloudy; windy; temp, 48° to 58°; 115 miles by car, 20 on foot. 4. DUBUQUE. Linwood Cemetery woods and marshes. May 9. Rain; temp. 40-45°. Observers in two parties. Ival Schuster, Mrs. R. Ruegnitz, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Crossley, Mary Young, David Reed, Paul Herrmann. Observed on May 7: Least Flycatcher, 2; Bewick’s Wren, 2; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 1; Yellow-throated Vireo, 1. 5. GRINNELL, Poweshiek Co. Grinnell College campus, Lake Nyanza, Arbor Lake, Hazelwood Cemetery, Country Club. May 9; 6 to 9, 9:30 to 11:30 (Continued on page 64) IOWA BIRD LIFE— XVIII, 1948 62 *2 1 "3 x O o CD ” a n OS u rt tu O Pi C o uTI V u £S V Tt P y & y -O C c: £ < & £ o g£ . . .i 8 . 4 7 , 160 .301 . . .2 . .9 201 ,200 , . .5 . . .4 . , 15 20 1 1 15 350 , .32 . .15 ,32 . .18 . . 1 - . .1 . 10 . .12 C r ff Shallow ■ -I . .76 . . 12 1 . ,34 . .12 . . .6 . .12 . . .3 .20 ..is .15 . 17 ... 1 . .14 . . 15f . .23 . .40 . .44 . .38 . . .3 . .32 . . ,6 . . .6 . . .8 . .31 . .52 . . -2 . . ,2 . .17 . ..6 , , 17 2 . . ,6 , 11 . . 2 - ,1 . . , 4 . ..5 9 . . .5 . .271 .54 . .67 . . .0 . . 52 . .IS Re’ k 1 , W i-n 9 .::: . . 1 . . .2 , , 12 16’ .45 . ,26 « . .15 . .12 . , 46 . .34 , ,12 . .6 . 12 . .10 .23 127 61 . .37 , 250 , , 10 .41 . .26 . .40 .... .... . 10 . . .5 . 13 .... . 2 . 4 . . .5 . . . 1 . . ,2 ::: . , ,3 . . .6 If) 12 . ,4 . .14 . . .5 . .5 . ,2 . . .3 .10 . .3 , , .3 . . .6 - - .4 . . A . . .4 15 .120 . .76 , ,25 , , 10 . .14 . .20 .100 . ..I , . 1 . . .3 , , 3 f> , , 16 . . .2 . . .5 *> . ..1 . . ,3 . 13 , , 1 , , .3 ..A ..A 22 3? . . 15 . . .5 . .A . s . 11 . . .3 , , .2 . ,10 . .10 5 3 ,S , . IS . . .6 . . ,6 . . .5 . . .3 . . , 1 ,4 . . IS 1 . 16 . . .3 . .,2 .. .4 . . .3 . .14 ,4 , . . 1 . .26 . .61 | . .40 . .21 , , .1 . . .6 . .3 . .24 . . .7 . . .8 . , .3 . , .4 , , ,2 i . . . 1 . . . 1 . ,13 . . .2 .1 1 . . r . . .2 , . .4 . .21 . . .8 , .61 . .12 . . ,2 . . ,5 . .17 ... f, , . . 1 . . .1 . . .3 . 1 1 26 , . .‘3 , , 2 . , .7 . , ,S , , .2 . . .2 , . .6 I . . .3 . . 17 . .38 . .11 . , 12 ■j ',,.1 . . . 1 , . ,4 . , .8 . . .4 . . . 1 . 100 | . 13f ,235 . .55 . ,0C . . , , .47 . .26 1 . 100 1 . , 2 . . .4 . At . .51 11 . . .1 . . .8 , , .1 .18 . .16 ' . .26 .15 . . .5 . ,36 . . .4 . . .6 .... .250 201;; .216 .122 , , ,6 , , .1 1, .47 20 35 . . ,1 . . .2 . . ,3 , . . 1 i . . 17 , ,15 1 1 10 f. . . Bronzed Grackle MOf .27 . .9S , . 3C . 125 . ..3 |. .22 . . 12 ,100 64 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XVIII, 1948 « ft* U GS & U 1 n TJ ft PS tt5 h a} TS <11 U 3 G 5 S £ Q 4> 3 G* 3 Ji 3 Q flj £ In dependence G £ < ? t> Z G £ * z Ottumwa rt ui d . .50 . .94 , .34 . . 12 . 9. . .28 . ,7 . .60 . . .1 . .49 . .35 7 . . .8 . , . i , , 17 . .12! . , 12 . . .6 . .19 .11 . .6 ,2 .10 . . .8 . .20 . ,10 .... . ,26 . .98 . .47 , .12 . .15 ■ ■ *i 309k . .50 . .60 , 16 10 ...7 J . . .1 , 10 " " i , . .2 .. .3 . .n . .57 . .28 . ,22 . .10 , .12 0 . .38 . .35 . . ,6 . . . 1 , , . 4 . . 19 . .22 . .18 . . .6 ... 1 1 ion| .65] .43J ,19j -si .10 300E , , . 8 . .37 . . .1 .... Som? Sparrow ■ ■ - ■ , .5 . .16 . . . 5| , . , 2 2785 .605 . 1 10 | . .58 J 979 , , , 1 . .83 . ,nl 1 1483 .566 . .14 ,1199 Total Species ■ - .107 ,132 , -35 .33 |. .64]. .76 . .87 Total Individuals IS, 030 Total Species 167 * Too numerous to count a,m. Low overcast sky; wind, 20 to 25 m.p.h,; temp, about 50°; six miles on foot, John Pratt. 6, INDEPENDENCE. Buchanan Co, Oakwood Cemetery and vicinity. May 8: 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Chilly and windy; rain beginning at 11:30. Mrs. Gordon Ely, Ruth Funk. 7. NEW ALBIN, Allamakee Co. Pasture and woodlot south of New Albin, woods along Upper Iowa River and slough south of town. May 8; 8 hours. Clear; wind, N, 25 m.p.h.; temp, 38-48°; 8 miles on foot, Chas. A. Stewart. Carolina Wren was seen in same location that a nest was watched in 1947. Date was too early for main warbler wave in this north county. All ducks had left except breeders. Observation was at peak of White-crowned, Harris and White-throated Sparrow migration, 8. NEWTON. Jasper Co. Within city limits. Skunk River bridge by Colfax on highway 6, Lamb’s Grove north 2 miles on Cherry Creek: town suburbs 30%, elm and willow river bottom 10%, open farmland 20%, brush creek bottom 30%, farm woodlots 10%. May 9; 6 a.m, to 12:30, 1:30 to 6 p.m.; total hours, 11 <10 on foot, 1 on bicycles). Cloudy; wind strong and gusty; temp, 59° to 68° to 52° at noon, back to 60° in mid-afternoon. Observers in one party. John Paul Moore, Hertha Moore, Bradley McMain, Frank Meng, Frank Bennett. 9, OTTUMWA. Wapello Co. Various localities in Wapello County, Lake Wapello. May 9: 5.30 a.m. to 12:30, 2 to 7 p.m.; total hours, 12; total observer hours, 46, Cloudy; temp. 60°. Chas. C, Ayres, Jr., Bill Hoskins, Norman Crow, Marietta Eighme, Pearle C. Walker. COMMENT ON THE BIRD COUNTS 65 COMMENT ON THE BIRD COUNTS By JAMES HODGES DAVENPORT, IOWA Perhaps the greatest birdlng event in the United States during the year is the annual Christmas Bird Census. The nation-wide tabulation is published in “Audubon Field Notes” by the National Audubon Society while the individual state organisations carry on their own annual count and publish the results in their respective journals. We Iowa bird students also participate in the annual spring bird census. After a study of the nation-wide counts and the two annual ones taken here in Iowa, certain conclusions may be drawn, both favorable and unfavorable. A recent letter in the September, 1948. issue of ■Audubon Field Notes’* by George A. Hall of Madison, Wisconsin, has prompt- ed me to assemble a few observations of my own on possible errors that are made in taking these bird counts. My criticism is not of the identification of species but the determination of the number of individuals of each species. In preparing this paper I am aware of the fact that many persons will dis- agree with me, but if it does nothing more than stimulate further discussion of the subject it will be worth while. Since the winter season is at hand, it may be ' 11 to '.r. with our Christ- mas Bird Count. The last one published, in the March 1948, issue of “Iowa Bird Life”, brings to light some interesting data. The 1947 count was reported from a total of 19 stations, with a total of 73 species listed. Of these 19 sta- tions a total of 82 persons participated in the count. To me, the winter months offer an excellent opportunity for accurate bird censusing for a number of reasons. At times the winter weather may be a little inclement, but there is no dense foliage to obstruct the view, no confusion of bird song to hinder identification. The prime factor is that the number of species present is small enough so that more time can be given to the identification of the in- dividual and thus insure accuracy. But the question I would like to ask is, “Are the counts of the number of individuals present accurate?” This is the gist of my hypothesis. To illustrate the point I wish to make I offer the following example. Last winter 1 took a long hike along the Mississippi River in Scott County, and during the hike kept a list of species and number of individuals observed. The smaller land birds numbered between 1-100 individuals In the majority of cases there was an odd number such as 26, 38. indicating that the individuals were ACTUALLY COUNTED bird for bird. A flock of Crow-s flew over- head. I watched them until they were out of sight and ESTIMATED about 150 birds in that flock. In the course of my hike I came upon a huge open area on the river in which 1 found a very large flock of ducks. I observed them through a 20-power telescope for a while and ascertained that they were all Canvas-backs. Of course I had to record the number of individuals. Looking over the mass of moving, bobbing forms, I arrived at an ESTIMATED 1,000 birds. However, I was struck by the thought that I had no proof that I actually saw 1,000 birds. I knew that this estimated count was by no means accurate, so I proceeded to make an exact count of the number of birds pres- ent. It took an hour and 45 minutes to accomplish this, but I did obtain a very accurate count. There were only 513 birds! In other words, ray esti- mate was 487 birds off. My imagination almost doubled the actual number of birds present. My point is this. When I encountered individuals or small groups of birds they were COUNTED and thus were accurate. A larger group of birds were ESTIMATED, but upon counting them (remember, however, it took almost two hours to do this), I found that my estimate was off almost IOWA BIRD LIFE— XVIII, 1948 66 50 per cent. And yet, before I started to count the larger groups of birds, this count or tabulation was going to be submitted for publication as a fairly ac- curate picture of bird life for that period in my study area. Let me now turn to the Christmas bird count, A good example is the Sioux City area, in the March, 1948, 'Iowa Bird Life." Two separate census reports were published. One count was taken by the Sioux City Bird Club with a total of 177 party miles accumulated by 18 observers in 10 parties. The other count submitted by Wm. Youngworth covered an area of 99 miles. This means that a grand total of 276 miles of territory was covered — which should give an excellent picture of the bird life of that area. When looking the list over the two distinct counts of Crows caught my attention at once. A huge roost is mentioned by Mr, Youngworth, who wrote, "The large num- ber of Crows on this list is explained by a Crow roost extending for about 7 miles The Sioux City Bird Club, however, gave the number of 10,140 Crows while Mr. Youngworth listed an even 20,000 birds (a difference of 9,860 birds). The question, then, is whether the birds were counted or estimated. If they were counted, it would have taken quite some time to arrive at such a figure. On the other hand if the birds were estimated, was the estimate accurate? There is always the possibility that such estimates are not accurate because of a number of factors. The question of prime importance is, "ARE WE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE NUMBER OF SPECIES LISTED OR NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS RECORDED?" Should we be more interested in accuracy or in a good list of species? Along this line of thought I quote from the letter of Mr. Hall in "Audu- bon Field Notes" mentioned before. Mr. Hall comments thus on the last Christmas Bird Census published in that magazine: "Of all the counts reported this year I believe that probably only one has any degree of accuracy. The observers at Mt. Greylock, Mass., reported that they saw 26 individuals. This is probably correct or at least they saw between 25 and 27. However, as an example of erroneous or misleading in- formation let us examine the Reelfoot Lake. Tenn.. report. This is only the most spectacularly glaring example since nearly all other reports contain the same error. These observers report that they estimated 2,000,000 Red- wings, They also saw one Hairy Woodpecker, So far their total is 2,000,001. They then estimated 10,000 Mallards and saw 3 Kingfishers. Thus, their count is now 2,010,004, They proceed and total all the species seen and report they saw ‘approximately 2,012,655 individuals . , . , ’ The error in this reason- ing is very obvious to anyone familiar with treating numerical data. The figure 2,000,000 in reality means a number between 2,500,000 and 1,500.000 or a maximum uncertainty of .500,000, I do not have any idea as to the com- petency of these observers but having had considerable experience in count- ing birds in the field, I feel that a maximum uncertainty of 300.000 is not a bad piece of counting. Actually, of course, for inexperienced observers the maximum uncertainty might be 1,000,000 or more. If this is true, then these observers actually saw 2,012,655 -f- 300,000 individuals or more exactly 2,000,000 -+- 300,000 .... To sum up my position then; it is meaningless gibber- ish and pseudo science to add an estimated 1.000,000 to a precisely counted 67 and arrive at a total of 1,000,067." I would also like to comment on our annual spring bird census, During 1946 the fourth annual Iowa spring bird count was taken on May 11 and 12. and the results published in the September issue of "Iowa Bird Life.” Many factors enter into the picture during the spring census that were absent dur- ing the winter census. The number of possible individuals present is easily tripled over those of the winter months. Foliage makes it more difficult to GENERAL NOTES 67 observe some of the land birds while the bird song from eveiy tiee a s 0 the confusion of the amateur as well as the ‘ old-timer/ But these spiing bird counts were attractive enough to always draw more than 100 observers. To me, however, the purpose or value of these counts has always been quite vague. I assumed that the prime purpose was to take these counts during the same period of two or three days each year, and by comparing them over a period of years it would be possible to determine how much the population would vary, or how the weather or other conditions would affect the bird life But in 1947 and 1948 the dates of the count were advanced a week beyond the regular dates, the llth and 12th, So this must not be its purpose, since a week ahead or later would destroy the comparison values. Therefore I am doubtful of its scientific value. Added to this is the difficulty of securing a person to compile and assemble the data for publication plus the expense of setting the smaller type. Then, too, the same problem outlined under the Christmas census exists. Perhaps the prime factor is the spirit of competition that enters into the situation. We may be more anxious to build a list that will be larger than our neighbor's than to combine the virtue of accuiacy. It is a simple and perhaps unconscience process of jumping to a hasty identi- fication of a bird so that it may be added to our list and perhaps beat our op- ponent. I have done it, and have seen it done by others. I think enough has been said about the failings of our two annual counts. It is just and proper that a solution should be offered. The Christmas count can be improved and made more accurate and of more value by more COUNTING and less ESTIMATING- But the spring bird census in its present form I think should be eliminated. In its place a summary of the spring migration should be published under each county that submits such a report. The general abundance of the various families, a summary of weather condi- tions, and any unusual records should be included in such a report. It would probably be much easier to edit and would be more accurate and to the point than the present system. If it proved to be successful, the plan might be ex- tended to include a summary of the nesting season, fall migration, and winter season. A local Iowan could be selected to assemble all the reports where the data could be condensed or the gist of the report presented. Thus the work of the Editor could be somewhat reduced and some burden removed from his office. If the National Audubon Society can carry out such a plan with excellent results on a nation-wide basis, it should be a success on a state basis. GENERAL NOTES Hermit Thrush Looks In.— On October 16, 1948. while I sat in my big chair for an hour after breakfast, a Hermit Thrush alighted on the porch rail just outside the nearest west window and displayed itself from all sides for some moments as though some one had ordered it to come expressly for that pur- pose. Another happy memory resulted. Although many of us have known the use of summei feeders for a long time, I was surprised at the extent of the use of such feeders during the past summer —GEORGE O. HENDRICKSON, Ames, Iowa. Predatory Activity of a Blue Jay. — Professor Eugene Devereaux of Mount Vernon, called my attention on June 13 to a Blue Jay that was eating a smaller bird. The jay had flown with it a distance of about 75 feet when the larger bird was frightened away and the smaller bird dropped. We discovered that the latter was an adult male English Sparrow. The left side of the breast 68 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XVIII, 1948 had been torn away and the soft parts of the body cavity eaten. When I ex- amined it the carcass was still warm, which suggests that the English Sparrow may have been killed by the Blue Jay,— J. HAROLD ENNIS, Mount Vernon, Iowa. A Note on Ducks,— I spent the week-end of October 16-17. 1948, checking the duck kill at the Pte. Mouillee State Game Area on Lake Erie, I handled nearly 1000 ducks, including a Surf Scoter, the first I had ever seen. There was also brought in an apparent Mallard -Muscovy cross. It weighed 4Vz lbs., had glossy-greenish black head, 2-inch-wide white neck band, reddish- brown upper breast, white belly, mostly black back and wings above, with pri- maries entirely white. I was unable to talk the hunter out of it for a speci- men, and had no ducks to trade for it, unfortunately. — MALCOLM MC DON- ALD, Ann Arbor, Mich. Sandhill Cranes at Estherville — About five o'clock on the afternoon of November 6, 1948, a flock of about 75 or 80 Sandhill Cranes passed almost over our home in the north part of Estherville, The flock approached from the northeast, and over the north edge of town the birds appeared to become undecided about what course to pursue and seemed to be marking time. With one in the lead, 11 birds slowly parted from the large flock and turned north- ward again. For some moments it seemed as if the whole flock was going to follow their lead as it swung partly around in a westerly direction but it later resumed the original course toward the southwest. The calls were continuous as the large flock passed almost overhead at a considerable height. Not for perhaps 30 years have I heard that call or seen a flock of these birds here. — O, WOLDEN, Estherville, Iowa. King Rail Nests in Benton County — On June 27, 1948, I received a phone call from Leo Hamman of Blairstown (which is located about 26 miles w r est of Cedar Rapids) to the effect that he had noted a pair of rather large wading birds with nine coal-black chicks in a roadside pond just north of Blairstown on Highway 82. Mr. Hamman, a rural mail carrier, stated that he had seen these birds every day since about June 22 in this same pond, but had not definitely identified them. Accordingly, Mrs. Vane and I drove out there the same evening that we received the phone call and had the good fortune to see the birds, which proved to be a pair of King Rails, wading belly deep in water and catching what appeared to be small minnows. The adult birds then would race back to the muddy shore line to feed the young, of which we saw six. A few mo- tion pictures were taken of the adults, but the young were very wary, dis- appearing in the grasses as soon as the car door was opened. Two other trips were made to the locality. On June 30 the adult rails were still feeding their young; but on July 4, the date of the next trip, the nond had dried up and the birds could not be located. An interesting fact communicated to the writer by Dr. Charles R, Keyes of Mount Vernon after seeing the short movie scene of this bird, was that he had seen King Rails 40 or more years ago in exactly the same area. — ROBERT F. VANE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Observations in Southeast Iowa. — On August 18 and 19, 1948, I observed a Horned Grebe on West Lake near McCausland, Iowa, A rather late nest of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found August 11. The adult was incubating four eggs. Two days later three of the eggs hatched and the young birds ere observed. On June 13 an immature Vesper Sparrow was seen along Duck Creek. R. M. Anderson states that this species is more common in the GENERAL NOTES G9 central and northern portions of the state in summer. Although this is consid- erably to the east of the range prescribed by Anderson, it is probable that th^ inconspicuous bird is often overlooked as a summer resident. RICH AH SCHAEFER, Davenport, Iowa. The American Egret as a Late Summer Migrant in Iowa.— There was evi- dently a heavy migration of American Egrets into Iowa during the late summer of 1948, according to newspaper articles and other sources of indirect information. We print below only a meager number of reports from our Iowa members- We believe that these reports represent only a very small number of the birds that actually appeared on Iowa ponds and streams Ed^ DAVENPORT — During the month of August several rather large flocks of American Egrets were observed. Willard Dickel noted a group of 22 birds in a timbered water area near McCausland. Iowa. Fishermen and campers told me of flocks ranging up to 200 birds in the bottom lands of the Wapsipin- icon River. On August 23 and 24 there was an interesting concentration of egrets near Credit Island, when 53 were counted. At times all these birds would feed along the shore in a group, and at other times 10, 12 or 15 would fly off to feed or roost by themselves.— RICHARD SCHAEFER. , FORT MADISON. — On August 5 I saw an American Egret fishing in the shallow water off shore. It soon flew down the river and out of sight. Later in the day I walked across the bridge connecting Fort Madison with Niota, Illinois At Niota a small flock of egrets were fishing near the end of the bridge. I watched them for a half hour before they flew up the river.— ROBERT H. HANSMAN. WATERLOO.’ — On July 25, while driving to Cedar Falls with my father, I noticed some large white birds at Golinvaux Slough, w r est of Canfield Air- port We turned around and stopped, then went down to the slough. We got fairly close to the birds and found that they were American Egrets. A farmer was driving his cattle near by and the egrets took to the air and flew toward us Traffic is very heavy on the highway at this point and there aie many planes from two airports, so I was surprised and pleased to see these beau- tiful birds.— RUSSELL M. HAYS. Snowy Egrets in Polk County.— On July 30, 1948, at Fisher s Lake north of Des Moines, we observed a Snowy Egret in company with 11 American Egrets. We returned the following day to the same spot and studied this bird for considerable time with a 20-power scope. We were able to note clearly the following characteristics: The bird was approximately half the size of the American Egrets. The bill was distinctly black, yellow at the base. Lores yellow. Iris yellow. The legs were dark and the feet distinctly yellow. As the bird constantly moved back and forth in feeding, often lifting its feet clear of the shallow water and on two occasions perched on a concrete culvert, this foot characteristic was clearly evident. When walking away the legs showed a yellowish stripe up the back. In flight the plumage was entirely white. On August 1, we returned to the same spot to find in addition to the above another small white heron that in many respects resembled the Snowy Egret. However, we were unable to get the characteristic markings to identify it for certain. Definitely it did not show the yellow at the base of the bill. The bill was black with a grayish base. In flight its plumage was pure white. The identity was uncertain until August 4, when the bird was observed more closely and found to be a Snowy Egret, though it did not have as bright a color on the feet or the base of the bill as it ordinarily has. In checking over the records of the Snowy Egret in Iowa, it was found that there are no specimens recorded for this state with data, so a specimen 70 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XVIII, 1948 was collected which proved to be a male, measuring 23Vi inches long and weighing 17 ounces. The specimen has been placed in the collection of the State Historical Museum at Des Moines. On August 5, still another Snowy turned up and joined the other group. Although these birds associated with the American Egrets, they preferred to be by ihcmselves and would often leave the company of the Americans to work the shore lines in search of food. About a mile south of Fisher’s Lake still another Snowy Egret was ob- served, bringing the total to four. Other observers have claimed as many as six at one time on Fisher's Lake. The opportunities offered for study of this species give us positive identification and it is my first record of the Snowy in Iowa. Great care w^as used in observing these birds as they can easily be mistaken for the immature plumages of the Little Blue Heron, — JACK W. MUSGROVE, Museum Director, Dept, of History & Archives, Des Moines, Iowa. Notes From Davenport. — A partially albino Cardinal was seen in the thick woods of Credit Island on November 2, 1947. The bird was normal ex- cept that it had white cheeks, nape, throat and crest, with the tip of the crest a soiled red. The eyes were black — unlike most albinos, which have pink or reddish eyes. The black pattern around the orange bill was absent. At Credit Island this year a pair of nesting White-breasted Nuthatches were seen in the act of fly-catching. The birds would swoop, dive and dart upward at the insects in an effort that was usually successful We have also seen Red-headed, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers fly-catching along the Wapsipinicon River bottoms. The Red-heads would perch against a fencepost and fly out at a flying insect, and either eat it then or bring it back to the post, We have often noticed Downy Woodpeckers fly-catching along country roads. — RODNEY HART and NORWOOD HAZARD, Davenport, Iowa. The Groove-billed Ani and Mountain Bluebird, Specimens in Iowa Col- lection. — Recently I was called upon to identify an odd appearing bird that was taken a few years ago near Iowa Lake, Osceola County, Iowa. The iden- tity of the bird was not known and it was mounted by Floyd Arens, who displayed it with his collection of birds in his hardware store at Lake Park, Iowa. I found the bird to be a specimen of the Groove-billed Ani. Also in his collection was a Mountain Bluebird which, according to Mr. Arens, was taken locally a few years ago when it was recovered from a house cat. The record of the Groove-billed Ani is so very unusual that I cheeked all possible angles in the case. The question of what this weak-flying, far- southern species was doing in our range is not easily explained, and there is always the possibility that it was an escaped or liberated captive bird trans- ported north and living for a time by its own resources in a natural state, though there is at least one other record of this species taken farther north than our state (one taken near Red Wing. Minnesota, mentioned in Roberts. "Birds of Minnesota”*. I questioned Mr. Arens carefully about the Ani and found that a farm boy shot it near Iowa Lake thinking it was some kind of blackbird, He brought the specimen to Lake Park for identification. No one could identify it, but Mr. Arens mounted it and added it to his collec- tion. There seemed to be no discrepancy in any part of the story, and Mr. Arens was as anxious as anyone else to learn the name of the strange visitor to northern Iowa.— JACK W. MUSGROVE. Museum Director. Dept, of History & Archives, Des Moines, Iowa, Field Notes and Migration Data from Sioux City.— While on an all-day field trip on August 12, 1948, up the valley of the Big Sioux River and on up the NECROLOGY 71 Split Rock Creek into the extreme southwest corner of Minnesota, we were extremely surprised to find some numbers of migrating Orchard Orioles, as this was a week beyond our former last fall record for this species. Again, on August 15. we saw a lone Orchard Oriole in our backyard. And to still extend our fall departure record for this region, we found two Orchard Orioles near the Big Sioux River in Union County. South Dakota, on August 21. This was another all-day field trip, taken for the purpose of bringing up to date additional records for Dr. T. C. Stephens’ forthcoming paper on the Birds of Union County, South Dakota. On the August 12 trip we were pleased to list another uncommon species for this region— the Mockingbird, which was seen near the town of Harrisburg, Lincoln County, South Dakota, The fall migration at Sioux City this fall did not seem very extended and came to an abrupt end during the last two days of September, when we had a sudden change in temperature and a brisk northeast wind, which chased the lingering summer residents south in a hurry and brought down hordes of sparrows and a dribble of warblers and kinglets. Some fall departure dates are given below: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Sept. 23: Black-billed Cuckoo, Sept. 25: Nighthawk. Oct. 1; Chimney Swift. Sept. 26; Ruby-throated Humming- bird, Sept. 20: Kingbird, Sept, 15; Baltimore Oriole, Sept. 18; Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Sept. 20; Indigo Bunting, Oct. 1; Dickcissel, Sept. 15; Purple Martin, Sept. 26; Cliff Swallow, Sept, 26; Barn Swallow, Oct. 5; Bank Swallow, Sept, 23; Warbling Vireo, Sept. 26; Bell's Vireo, Sept. 12; Catbird, Sept. 29; Brown Thrasher. Oct. 12; House Wren, Oct. 4. Below are given a few of the fall arrival dates: Harris Sparrow, Oct. 2; White-crowned Sparrow, Sept. 30; White-throated Sparrow, the first wave came on Sept. 20th, with the big flight beginning Oct. 2 and seen daily until Oct. 30; Clay-colored Sparrow, Sept, 30; Slate-colored Junco, Oct. 2; Lincoln Sparrow, Sept. 18; Swamp Sparrow, Oct. 1; Orange-crowned Warbler, Oct. 2; Myrtle Warbler, Sept. 30: Wilson Warbler, Sept. 7; Golden-crowned Kinglet, Nov. 3; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Sept. 24, with a heavy flight noted on Oct. 1, 2, & 5; Canada Goose, first flock came through on Oct. 3, The hawk migra- tion was extremely poor this fall with only a few Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned Cooper, and Sparrow Hawks being recorded. — WM, YOUNG WORTH, Sioux City, la. NECROLOGY Dr. Thomas Calderwood Stephens, one of Iowa’s most distinguished orni- thologists and widely known authority on wildlife, died at Sioux City, Iowa, November 24, 1948, following a brief illness. Funeral services and burial were at Kansas City, Mo,, on November 27. Dr. Stephens was one of the founders of the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union in 1923, and was later elected an Honorary Member. Prominent as an educa- tor. his career as an instructor was from 1906 to 1946, as a professor of biology at Morningside College in Sioux City. He was also a faculty member during the summer sessions at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory at Lake Okoboji from 1911 to 1948. He served as editor of the “Wilson Bulletin” from 1925 to 1938, and his writings for other scientific journals were numerous and widely read. His most lengthy article in “Iowa Bird Life” is “The Makers of Ornithology in Northwestern Iowa,” in the June, 1944, issue, pp. 18-37. A bibliography of Iowa ornithology, on which he worked for more than 35 years, was finished during the past summer. We sincerely hope that this important contribution may be published Dr. Stephens was active in promoting the joint Nebraska-Iowa bird meet- ing at Sioux City last May, and contributed much toward its success. The last IOWA BIRD LIFE— XVIII, 1948 ornithological meeting he attended was the A.O.U. convention at Omaha in October. A lengthy biography of Dr. Stephens, by Mrs. H. J. Taylor, was printed in “Iowa Bird Life” in 1943 ( March issue, pp. 2-6), and so we refrain from printing a longer sketch here. Distinguished as a naturalist, beloved by thousands of students, respected by countless others who sought his friendly and generous counsel, Dr, Stephens ranked high among the nation’s great men. His passing is a great loss, his place cannot be filled. — F, J. P. Mrs, Henry Frankel. member of Iowa Ornithologists’ Union since 1925, died at Los Angeles, Calif,. November 20, 1948. The Des Moines Audubon Society, of which she was a charter member, was organized in her home at Dcs Moines 25 years ago. Mrs. Frankel’s life was spent promoting the out-of-doors. Even when growing up in Rock Island, watching the rafts of logs floating down the Mis- sissippi. her concern was the replacement of trees for those that had been cut. For ten years she was a member of the State Board of Conservation. During her tenure in office the number of Iowa state parks and preserves increased from 42 to 63. In 1933 she was awarded the bronze medal of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society for her work in improving the state park system in Iowa. She was a member of the National Audubon Society, American Ornithologists’ Union, the board of National Conference on State Parks, Des Moines Garden Club, Des Moines Founder’s Garden Club, and the Garden Club of America — Janetta A. DuMont, Mrs. Jean Fulver Gessel, aged 58, passed away at Des Moines, on August 10, 1948, after an extended illness from leukemia. She was born at Reynolds, Nebraska, and after her marriage to E. C, Gessel, she lived in Des Moines and Sioux City for a number of years. The Gessels had two children: Mrs. Lois Anderson of Tucson, Ariz.. and Robert J. Gessel of Sioux City, Iowa. Mrs. Gessel took an active interest in church work and was for many years the director of children's religious activities for the Iowa-Dakota area of the Methodist Church. She became a member of the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union in 1943. She was elected an honorary member of the National Association of Authors and Journalists, and an honorary life member of the Des Moines Audubon Society; she was also a member of the American Nature Society. From ‘The Warbler,” journal of the Des Moines Audubon Society (Sept. Oct, 1948, issue), we quote the following paragraph relating to Mrs. Gessel: “Wildlife was her great hobby, birds and the moths and butterflies her special interest. She was known nationally for her studies of the large silk-moths; the Cynthia and Cecropla. The Promethea and the Polyphemus were her special joy. She raised large broods of various moths in cages, and intensive- ly studied their lives and habits. She corresponded often with Edwin Way Teale and at his request carried on special research on different phases of the life of a number of these moths .... One of her treatises on the Cecropia moth was published in the form of a bulletin for use of the science teachers by the Des Moines Board of Education .... Jean dearly loved hiking and the field trips. The Audubon Sanctuary saw her often and knew her well. She was ever on the lookout for ‘new’ species of birds and finds’ in the insect world, besides loving plant life. Her accuracy of observation and her rich store of knowledge, and her generosity in sharing these with her friends, are a living influence that will be felt for many years to come,” We regret that through an oversight in the Librarian’s Interim Report in the last issue a gift of 15 volumes of “Iowa Bird Life,” by Glen M. Hathorn of Cedar Rapids, was not mentioned. This gift was duly received and appreciated by the Union. MEMBERSHIP ROLL 73 MEMBERSHIP ROLL OF THE IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION * CHARTER MEMBERS (1923) (Hi Bailey, Mrs. Mary L. Sioux City Battell, Mrs. F. L., Ames Bennett, Walter W., Los Angeles, Calif, Kinnaird, Mrs, W, A„ West Des Moines Mills, Wier R., Pierson Palas, Arthur J„ Postville Pierce, Fred J., Winthrop Spiker, Chas. J,. Branchport, N.Y. Wendelburg, Mrs. Toni R., Des Moines Wolden, B, O., Estherville MEMBERS Adams, I. C. Jr., Columbia, Mo., 1941 Allert, Oscar P., McGregor, 1929 Anderson, Dr, Rudolph M., Ottawa. Canada, 1942 (Ji Armstrong, Joseph T.» Omaha, Nebr.. 1948 Austin, Mrs. E, J.. Charle- City, 1912 Austin, Dr. O. L,, Tuckahoe, N. Y,„ 1931 (S> Ayres, Charles C., Jr„ Ottumwa, 1941 Barlow, Mrs. John, Waterloo, 1942 Barrett, Mrs. Helen G., Sioux City, 1948 (S) Bartlett. Wesley H., Algona, *35 Bates, Curtis E., Rome, N Y.. '46 Baumgartner, Miss Josephine, Des Moines, 1942 Becker, Miss Hilda, Davenport. ’26 Beckwith, Miss Alma, Atlantic, *39 (S ) Berko wits, Mr. and Mrs, Albert C . Des Moines, 1943 and 1947 Bibbee. P. C., Athens, W. Va., 1945 fS) Bice, Mrs. Don C., Atlantic, *42 Binsfeld, Mrs. A. J.. Des Moines, “47 Birdsall. E. R,, West Des Moines, ’47 f S ) Birkeland. Henry, Roland. 1933 Bishop, Dr. Louis B. Pasadena, Calif. 1934 Bixler, Mrs. Ingram, Cedar Rapids, 1944 Bliese, John C. W., Mt. Vernon, ’35 Blomstrand, Harry K., Fonda, 1946 Bly, Mrs. Gordon. Parkersburg, *47 Blythe, Miss Emma, Williamsburg, i946 Board of Education, Carroll, 1948 Bordner, Mrs. Robt. L, Shenandoah, 1929 Boyd, Dr, and Mrs. Ivan L., Bald- win, Kans,. 1937 Brooks, Frank G., Mt. Vernon, *45 Brown, Mrs. Helen M., New York, NY., 1946 Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Woodward H„ Des Moines, 1947 Brunner, Miss Dorothy, Cedar Rap- ids, 1946 Brunner, Miss Marjorie, Cedar Rap- ids, 1946 Burns, Mrs. C. E., Albia, 1946 Burroughs, Julian, West Park, N.Y., 1948 Carl, Harry G„ Davenport, 1948 Carmichael. Miss Thelma, Tama, *46 (J) Carter, Dennis, Thor, 1947 {Si Cedar Falls Audubon Club, Cedar Falls, 1947 (C) Cedar Rapids Bird Club, Cedar Rapids, 1947 Chadbourne. Miss Evelyn, Cedar Rapids, 1947 Chadbourne, Dr, T. L,. Vinton, 1938 Chamberlain, Mrs. Florence C„ Des Moines, 1947 Chapman. Herman F., Sioux Falls, S. Dak.. 1943 Clark, Mrs. Ella L., Burlington, *25 Chase, Clifford E„ Decorah, 1948 Confare, Miss Miriam, Cedar Rapids, 1942 Connor, Mrs, Stephen, Sigourney '46 Copp. Miss C. Esther, Wheatland, *33 Cord, Mrs. Richard, Sioux City, ’43 Crossley, Mr, and Mrs. Geo. E,. Far- ley, 1948 Crouter, Miss Frances, Cedar Falls, 1944 Crowe, Norman P., Ottumwa, 1948 Currier, Ed. S.. Portland, Ore., 1934 Daft, Miss Ruth E.. Griswold, 1946 Dales, Mrs, Marie, Sioux City, 1929 * Complete to November 15. 1948, Year of join in* the Union follows the name of each member. All cities are within Iowa unless otherwise noted. The following key letters are used in the list: {Cl Contributing Member. (Hi- Honorary Member, ( J ) — Junior Member. (S) — Supporting Member. 74 IOWA BIRD LIFE — XVIII, 1943 Daum, Miss Wanda. Waterloo. 1947 DeLong, Mrs. W. C., Lamoni, 1939 Dickey, Miss Margaret, Cedar Rap- ids. 1946 Dix, Mrs. Ray S-. Cedar Falls, ‘35 Dole. J. Wilbur, Fairfield, 1929 Dorweiler, Miss Margaret, Cedar Falls, 1945 Downing. Glenn R., Iowa City, 38 Dragoo, Lavina, Cedar Rapids, ’29 Drury. Miss Eleanor. Davenport. '47 Dubuque Audubon Club, Dubuque, 1933 Dulany, Geo. W., Jr., La Jolla. Calif., 1943 DuMont, Mrs. Janet. Des Moines, ’27 DuMont, Philip A., Washington. DC., 1924 Dvorak, Joseph L., Chicago, 111., ‘47 Eastman, Mrs E. P.. Burlington, ‘29 Edgar, Mrs. G, P„ Burlington, ’39 Edge, Mrs. C. N., New York, N Y.. ’31 (Si Eiahme. Miss Marietta. Ottum- wa, ’43 Ennis, Mrs. Edna M., Tama, 1944 (S) Ennis, Dr. J. Harold. Mt. Ver- non. 1941 Errington, Dr, Paul L., Ames, 1932 Euwer, Archie N„ Mt Pleasant, ’47 Ewing. H. E.. Washington, D.C., ’43 Farquhar. Catharine, Atlantic, 1946 Faulkner. Geo. O., Waterloo, 1931 Feeney, Rev. Thos. J., Davenport. ’47 Field. H. P.. Decorah, 1948 (S) Fitzsimmons. C. S.. Sibley, 19^5 Flodin, Mrs. C. C., Cedar Rapids, '31 Fritzsche, Carl R.. Sioux City, 1946 Funk, Miss Ruth F„ Independence, ’40 Giernot, Bruno B.. Iowa City. 1946 Glotfelty, Miss Ila, Fairfield. 1945 Goodman. John D.. Ann Arbor, Mich., 1941 Grant. Dr. Martin L„ Cedar Falls, ’37 Greer, Rev. Edward C., Davenport, 1948 Grummann, Mrs. Herbert R , St. Louis, Mo., 1943 Guthrie, Richard A,. Woodward, ’39 Hallowell, Miss Loraine, Waterloo, ’32 Hansman, Robt, H,. Fort Madison, ’48 Harford, Dr. Henry M., Kansas City, Mo,. 1945 (J > Hart, Rodney, Davenport. 1947 Hathorn, Glen M., Cedar Rapids, '34 Hawk, Grover C.. Indianola, 1944 Havette, Miss Verona, Cedar Rapids, 1943 Hays, Russell M., Waterloo, 1947 (J) Hazard, Norwood, Davenport, ’47 Hedges, Harold C., Kansas City. Kans., 1946 Heinkel, Mrs. W.. Bloomfield, 1948 Hendrickson, Dr. and Mrs. Geo. O., Ames, 1931 and 1944 Henning, Miss Kay. Decorah, 1947 (S) Henning, Mrs. Tom, Decorah. ’47 Herrmann, Henry, Dubuque. '45 Heuer, Ralph, Davenport, 1940 Heuser, E. F,, Dubuque, 1940 Hicks, Dr. Lawrence E„ Columbus, Ohio, 1938 Hillman. Mrs, Jay, Rockford. ’44 Hodges. James, Davenport, 1944 Hopkins, Joseph W , Osage. 1947 Hoskins, William H., Ottumwa, ‘48 Hoyman, Miss Isabelle Cedar Rap- ids, 1942 Hoyt, Miss Elizabeth E., Ames. ‘48 Jahn, Mrs. Theodore L.. Iowa City, 1943 Janssen, Rev. James. Davenport, ’47 (S) Jaques, H. E., Mt. Pleasant, ’47 Johnson, Mr. and Mrs, Ralph W., Ames, 1939 and 1927 Johnson. Waldo A., Grinnell, 1948 Jones. Mr, and Mrs. Myrle L., Boone, 1931 and 1941 Keenan. Jim, Rippey, 1948 Kent, Mrs. Wm„ Cedar Rapids, ’32 (H) Keyes, Dr. Charles R , Mt. Ver- non, 1944 King, Mrs. Helen G.. Grundy Center, 1933 Knoop, Miss Pearl, Marble Rock, '37 Kubichek, Wesley F., Washington, DC., 1941 Kurth, E. A., Grinnell. 1946 Laffoon, Jean L., Ames, 1940 Lahr, Mrs. H. W., Storm Lake. ’43 Lambert, Mrs, Adaline T,. Sioux City, 1940 Laros, Jerry, Grinnell, 1947 Laude, Dr. and Mrs. Peter P.. Iowa City, 1942 and 1947 Lawlor, Mrs. Gene. Victor. 1943 Lawson. Miss Faye. Fairfield, 1945 Lawton. Mrs. Addison C„ Des Moines, 1946 Leaverton, Paul. Indianola, 1948 (Si Lee. Miss Zell C., Sioux City. ’43 Leigh. Miss Grace D.. Independence, 1945 Loban, Miss Myra E.. Waterloo, 38 Loban. Miss R. Lucile. Waterloo, ’38 Luther, Mrs. J. S., Winthrop. 1946 Lynch, Mrs. C J.. Cedar Rapids. ’46 MacMartin, Mrs. W. G,, Tama, ’32 Maier, Miss Grace, Elkport, ’46 McCabe, Miss Olivia, Des Moines, '32 (SI McCutcheon, James W„ Mt. Ver- non, 1946 MEMBERSHIP ROLL c> McDonald. Malcolm. Arm Arbor. Mich., 1935 McGuire, Uncas M-, Creston, 46 McMain, Bradley, Newton, 1948 Melcher, Rev. M, C., Lisbon, 1939 (S> Mellvedt, Burton W T , Paullina, 1931 Meng, Frank L., Newton, 1948 (S> Meyer, Dr. Alfred W„ Cedar Rapids, 1942 Millikin, Mrs. Forrest G.. Creston. ’44 Moore. John Paul, Newton, 1947 Morrissey. Thos. J,, Davenport, ’40 Morton, Miss Thelma, Cedar Rapids, 1943 Moser, Dr, R. Allyn, Omaha, Nebr., 1941 Mote, Mr, and Mrs. G, A.. Marshall- town. 1929 Musgrove, Mr. and Mrs, Jack W., Des Moines. 1938 and 1943 fj) Musgrove, Miss Jean, Des Moines, 1944 Musselmann. Dr. T. E., Quincy, 111,. 1944 Myers, Mrs. Len. Waterloo. 1939 Nichols, Harvey L„ Waterloo, ‘29 (J) Nomland, Knute, Iowa City. 1947 Olinger, Miss Lucile, Toddville. 1947 Ollivier, Roy, Mt. Pleasant, 1943 Olmsted. Miss Carrie, Humboldt, ’46 < J> Olson, Richard. Eldridge, 1947 Only, Frank, Los Gatos, Calif., ‘44 Orr. Ellison, Waukon, 1935 Osia, Miss Catherine, Humboldt. 46 (S) Ottumwa Bird Club, Ottumwa, ’47 Padgham, John B., Grinnell, 1947 Parsons, Mrs. Robt, O., Dickens, ‘42 Pattee, Steven M,, Cedar Rapids, '48 (S> Peasley. Dr. and Mrs, Harold R . Des Moines, 1943 and 1934 (S> Peel, Clarence 0„ Boone, 1941 Petranek, Mr. and Mrs. E„ J.. Cedar Rapids, 1931 Pettingill, Dr. O, S.. Northfield. Minn.. 1937 Pickering. Mrs. Lawrence J., Red Oak, 1946 Pierce, Robert A.. Elizabethtown, Ky„ 1941 (J> Pike. Robert G„ Coggon, 1947 Pike, Walter E.. Coggon. 1946 Polderboer. Mr, and Mrs, Emmett B„ Dubuque. 1948 Pratt, John, Grinnell, 194S Prestegard, Miss Tillie, Mason City. 1945 Purdy, Miss Ruth. Cedar Rapids, 43 Rector, Harry E„ Vinton, 1942 Reece, Maynard F.. Des Moines, '43 Reynolds. Miss E. Estella. Des Moines, 1943 Richards. Miss Rose, Cedar Rapids, 1947 Roberts, Dr, F. L. R., Spirit Lake, ‘24 Roberts, Dr, Mary P, Spirit Lake, ‘26 Robertson. Dr, C, W., Waterloo, 1947 Rosenbaum, V. C„ Denver, Colo,, ‘48 Rosene, Walter. Jr., Gadsden. Ala., 1942 Ross. Hollis T„ Lewisburg, Pa., ’40 Ruegnitz, Mrs. R. S., Dubuque. 1942 Rugg. Mrs. Russell, Cedar Falls, ‘46 (S) Ruhr, Eugene, Atlantic, 1941 Sage. Evan, Waterloo, 1942 Sage. J, R., Ames, 1947 Savage. David L., Mt, Pleasant, 1944 Schaefer, Richard, Davenport, 1948 Schramm, Frank H., Burlington. '34 Schuster, Miss Ival M.. Dubuque, '41 Schwanke. Mrs. Chas. Cedar Falls. 1948 Scott, Dr. Thos. G„ Ames, 1937 (S) Serbousek, Miss Lillian, Cedar Rapids, 1931 Shields. Mrs. David H.. Grinnell, ’46 Shuttleworth. Miss Ann F., Cedar Rapids, 1947 (Si Shuttleworth, Mrs. W. D., Sib- ley, 1945 Smith, Miss Irene M„ Des Moines, 1943 Smith, Mrs. Wm, Merwin. Milford, 1945 Spohnheimer, Victor, Keokuk, 1947 Steffen, Earnest W„ Cedar Rapids, 1942 Stewart, Dr, Chas. A., New Albin, 1944 Stewart, Paul A., Westerville, Ohio, 1943 iS) Stiles, Bruce F., West Des Moines. 1937 Stoner, Emerson A.. Benicia, Calif., 1946 Stoner, Mrs. Lillian C., Albany, N.Y., 1945 Strickland, J. W,. Jr., Mt. Vernon, 1945 Sutton. Dr. Geo M., Ann Arbor, Mich. 1941 Tarr. Miss Margherita, Ames. 1946 (Si Taylor. Mrs. H. J., Berkeley, Calif.. 1939 Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. O S., Rock Rapids, 1929 Thornburg, Mrs. Ross J„ Tucson, Ariz., 1937 Tillapaugh, Miss Iola, Cedar Rapids, 1942 Tobin, John. Vinton, 1938 IOWA BIRD LIFE— XVIII, 194U 7(1 Tonkin, George. Monroeville. N.J., 1938 Turnbull. Mrs. H. W„ Diagonal. 44 Turner, Richard, Iowa City. 1947 Turner. Mrs. Stella, Glarinda. 1942 Vane. Dr, and Mrs. Robt. F.. Cedar Rapids, 1940 and 1946 Walker. Pearle C. T Ottumwa. '43 Ward. Mrs. J. J., Wellman, ’46 Warters, Miss Mary Ellen. Des Moines. 1946 Weaver. Miss Gertrude S„ Sioux City. 1946 Weber. Alois John, Keokuk. 1929 Williams, Chester W., Wellesley. Mass.. 1946 Willis. Miss Myra G., Cedar Rapids, 1940 Wilson, Ernest M., Ottumwa. 1946 Wistey, Mrs. Lloyd. South English, 1942 Witt. Miss Elizabeth, Elkader, 1943 Wolden, Mrs. B. O., Estherville. ’39 Wood, Miss Mary E., Ottumwa. '45 Young, Miss Mary H.. Waterloo, ‘40 Youngworth. Wm, G., Sioux City, ‘26 LIBRARIES Carnegie-Stout Public Library, Du- buque, 1931 Cornell College Library, Mt. Vernon. 1945 Iowa State Traveling Library, Des Moines, 1940 Kendall Young Library, Webster City. 1931 Library, Iowa State Teachers Col- lege. Cedar Falls, 1939 Library, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 1931 McGill University Library. Mont- real. Que., 1932 Public Library, Cedar Rapids, '31 Public Library. Council Bluffs. ‘31 Public Library, Davenport. 1947 Public Library, Des Moines, 1931 Public Library, Fort Dodge, 1936 Public Library, Marshalltown, 1946 Public Library, Sioux City, 1931 State College of Washington Li- brary, Pullman. Wash.. 1945 University of Illinois Library. Ur- bana, 111 . 1942 THE CHRISTMAS BIRD CENSUS will be taken as usual between December 20 and 30. Study the form of census- es published in previous March issues and follow' details carefully. List the birds in the A. O. U, order, giving exact number seen, and include data on hours, weather and ground conditions. Send your list to the Editor of "Iowa Bird Life 1 ' not later than January 15, 1949 DUES NOW PAYABLE Dues for 1949 are payable January 1st, and may be sent to Treasurer Ser- bousek, 1226 Second St, S.W., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at any time. It will save time and postage if you will do this promptly and not wait for us to send you a notice. CHRISTMAS REMINDER! A membership in the Iowa Ornithologists' Union, with its year’s subscription to IOWA BIRD LIFE makes a very accept- able Christmas gift for a nature lover.