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Title
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Sioux County, June 17-July 2, 1911
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Date
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June 17-July 2, 1911
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Creator
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Frank H. Shoemaker
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Description
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Regional Narrative
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Identifier
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321301-1911
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Rights
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extracted text
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After the first day's many visits - for I devoted much of it to thie
little family - the mother bird moved the household several yards along
ssabheamaay of the canyon, and on several successive days I had a delightful
wes, ereat sport, and not the easiest hunting imaginable, for the canyon
side was littered with rocks, fallen trees, and branches, and well pro-
vided with sheltering grasses and other vegetation. On the third morning
the young had reached a point about forty yards from the nesting vlace;
and on the fourth morning they were not to be found.
Western Horned Owl. - Very much in evidence in the evenings and during
of an owl on the east side of Monroe Canyon, which was promptly answered b
one on the west side, half a mile away. After exchanging ideas for a few
minutes the owl on the west side crossed to the east. T could see it
plainly against the sky, and twice while on the wing I-heard it utter its
@all. Without any special reason for the belief, I had always supposed
that this call was given from a perch of some kind; it is such a big,
deep-toned note that it would seem reasonable to suppose that the bird
- must hang on herd the while, and this easy flight with the call uttered .
en route came as a distinct surprise.
A great number of notes regarding insects observed might be given
here, but our collections have not yet been worked up and the data would
- be unsatisfactory and incomplete. Even our butterfly list is full of
question-marks, and we have hundreds of specimens to relax, spread, and
_ study before the list will mean much, so it is omitted.
a ay As for the mammals of the region, wildeat and deer tracks have already
been mentioned; we did not see these animals. Prairie dog towns are found
in Hat Creek Valley at various places. Coyotes were heard occasionally in
the evenings, but their numbers have been greatly diminished by the ranch-
ers. One early afternoon in the bad lands e coyote trotted across the
sage plain nesr us, not seeing us until within a hundred feet; he very
slightly increased his pace and altered his course, giving us suspicious
sidelong glances until safely past. Chipmunks were very common in the
eanyons end occasional in the bad lands. Bison bones and horns were found
at various places, in the canyons and in Hat Creek Valley. Edouard Priddy
informed us that several antelone had been seen recently in the western
part ofthe county, near the Wyoming line. Mountain lions were formerly
_ found in the canyons, and @ horse owned by Mr. Priddy beers heavy scars
gilts the attack of one of these animals within two or three years;
but if they are still here they must be very rare. Peaver work was found
in nearly every creek in the region, and my notes for August will cover
mee ppicct at leneth.
astine each morning hunting out the new quarters. This trackless trailing —
the nights. One evening while it was still quite light I heard the hooting
