THE ANNUAL MEETING. 121 



their habits can only be well known after careful observation on our lake 

 borders. 



In the third group of birds (see list C), those nesting to the north and winter- 

 ing to the south, and passing through our State during their spring and fall 

 migrations, I find sixty-eight species, of which only thirty are perching birds, 

 the rest being water-fowl. 



Here are found three thrushes, the hermit thrush, olive-backed and Wil- 

 son's. They nest from Lake Superior to the arctic circle, and winter from 

 Mexico to Brazil, the intervening country only knowing them as migrants. 



In this list is also found the greater part of the warblers, at least twenty 

 species nesting to the north of Lake Superior, and some of them reaching the 

 arctic circle. They usually winter in Mexico, some passing on and entering 

 Central America, or even reaching South America, while a few turn off at 

 Florida and winter there, or pass over into the West Indian islands. Our 

 warblers are peculiarly American, and we have no family of more beautiful and 

 interesting birds than these. They are all of small size and usually of bright, 

 pleasing colors. They are all insectivorous and take their food in the trees, 

 hurrying about through the new budding branches, as if they were in haste 

 to be on their way to their nesting grounds in the north. Their spring migra- 

 tion begins here about the first of May, is at its height on the tenth, and is well 

 over by the twentieth of that month. Their fall migrations are not so regular, 

 and there is some reason for thinking that many retire to the south by some 

 other route than through this State. On account of their short stay they are 

 almost unknown to the casual observer. 



Two of our finest sparrows, — the white-throated and white-crowned, — pro- 

 bably fall into this list, and one of the starliugs — the rusty blackbird, which 

 breeds to the north and winters in the middle States and farther south. 



Among the water-fowl are the two species of swans, and some five species of 

 wild geese. These latter, from their noisy migrations in spring and fall, are 

 well known. They nest to the north of the United States, many of them 

 in Alaska, others about Hudson's bay. They winter in the open waters of the 

 United States, reaching as far south as Florida and Texas. 



In the fourth group (see list D), of birds which nest to the north of Michi- 

 gan and winter here, I find a list of thirty-six, of which some sixteen are 

 certainly placed here. Half of them are finches, among them being found the 

 snow bunting, snowbird, tree sparrow, Lapland longspur, and red crossbill. 



The most abundant species of these is probably the snow bunting. They 

 nest in arctic America and Greenland, and also in northern Europe, and move 

 down to the south in winter in large flocks, which go scurrying over the bleak 

 fields like the snow-squalls they follow, in both motion and color. If they 

 are of any use, it is as gleaners of the seeds of the weeds, which stand up 

 through the snow to accuse the farmer of careless culture. 



One owl at least, — the snowy one, — and two hawks, find the climate of their 

 northern homes so much colder, and food so much scarcer, that they consider 

 our coldest winter weather comfortable. Most or all of the birds of this 

 fourth group are circumpolar in their range, and common to both hemispheres. 



If the lists as given are approximately correct, about two hundred and fifty 

 species of birds visit our State. 



The State of Michigan is especially favorable to the study of bird migra- 

 tions. The lower peninsula, lying open on its southern border to Ohio and 

 Indiana, must invite the birds northward through its forests, while the great 

 lakes on each side, gradually drawing together toward Mackinaw, must mass 



