I take it, then, that the chicken are on the way down with 
 the drop severe in many localities, but some areas ,such as Langruth, 
 holding up pretty wellpalthough likewise on the down-grade. 
        This ties in with some o'her things. While I have not checked 
 numbers of snowshoes on the delta ridge since last June(but will do 
 so at Thanksgiving), it seems certain that there has bden a big drop of

 numbers ,the decline beginning sometime in July.   On the other hand, 
 1 was astounded at the numbers of snowshoes seen on or tehicken shoot at

 6angruth- . I jumped 12 in the four hours, which to me seems high 
 in that kind of country; and -I have never seen so much sign. I will 
 let you know how we find them when 1 get back at Thanksgiving. 
        As I told you, the Zranklin ground. squirrels ým6 have practically

disappeared from the "elta ridge.   They started dying off shortly after

they came out in April, and by the middle of the sum-er it was unco--on 
to see one in a trip up the road. Local lore says they disgppeared 
before the heavy rains of late May and early June.   %owever, their 
decline started before that, and we found enough dying aaimrals to 
suggest there was something more than flooded borrows wrong with them. 
Unfortunately I was unable to get an autopsy on any of the deaths. 
       1eginning last autumn the imi      farmers south of 1elta 
 started complaining about red foxes, which are now more abdlndant than 
 they have been in a"good many years". And coyotes, last winter
were 
 more common at ýelta than they have been "in years", As
far as I can 
 gather, they were last abundant at "elta 20 years ago. 
 
       iirj  Huns show no appreciable decline. Although I have not folloowed

them closely, the same coveys are in the same place and about the same 
size as last year on the grade between 'elta and Portage . There were 
reports of small broods credited to the wet spring, however. 
 
       We have not kept accurate count of the pinnated grouse on the 
meadows just south of "elta. lie figured last year, and. the year before

that that there were approximately 40 square-tails on six seations of land

on Slacks and farm just south of the marsh, and they seem to be about the

same this year. I went out aO one late afternoon there and ran into 3l 
birds, although possibly there may have buen some repeats. I saw something

that afternoon that puzzled me. Shortly before sunset, I saw four birds 
get up from the middle of a very lightly grazed pastnue, fly  mile n 
and. alight. I had another bird to tend to ,and it was almost dark when I

got over to where ' had marked these down.   Theye were in exactly the 
same sopt, and the one 1 bagged had no food in crop or gizzard.   Do they

usually go to bed on an empty -   stomach? I take it this was an exception,

for they flight regularly to their feeding places in the late afternoon.

The bird, as far as I could tell, was in good condition. 
 
       The autumn has re-ained open until now, but with a freeze last night

1 suspect things will be closing up pretty soon* 77 last night on "adham

bay the Bluebills got up just before dusk for a fly around,and - never 
believed there could have been that many birds in the province, much less

on one bay. 
 
       I still don't know what my plans are. Oefore joing up here, - want

to find out what,if anythirnG,I could do in the'-Itates, but can't get in

touch with anyone,even my draft board who will answer my letters.  At least

I will see the book through and finishm up Lyle's paper ,w-ich I hope to

be able to send down soon. -y declay on this is not in putting it off, as
,IuP.,C 
as not being able to wind up    m    some of the tbMI J     -       _- 
 
 
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