ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 



289 



"general in Upper Peninsula" (A.H.Boies); "common in eununer at Iron Moun- 

 tain" (E. E. Brewster); breeds; nests in large coarse nests i^ trees; eggs four to 

 six — Dr. W. C. Brownell has a set of seven— green, blotched and sprinkled with 

 dusky brown; eats insects, frogs, carrion, acorns, eggs of birds and poultry 

 "especially young chickens" (O. and O., Vol. XVI, 1891, p. 64)} probably our friend. 



Family ICTERID^E. Starlings, Blackbird.s, Orioles. 



Generally insect feeders, a few eat corn, some fruit, on the whole our friends; 



generally gregarious; eggs usually much speckled, often marked with zigzag or 



broken lines. 



Gends DOLICHONXX Swains. 



^ -t 



Bobolink, male, reduced. 

 t 

 208-494(312). Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linn.), ^Bobolink ; Skunk Blackbird; 



Reed Bird; Rice Bird; Bob Lincoln; Ortolan; Butter Bird. 



Very common; Southern Michigan; summer; May (one of the latest birds to 



arrive) to September; male takes the plumage of the female in the fall; beautiful 



singer at nesting season; not shy; breeds; nests in June, usually in meadows, on 



the ground; eggs tive, occasionally six to seven, bluish white, marked with dark 



brown specks; not in Central Michigan until within a few years; I first noticed it 



about the college in 1874; "first in Monroe Co. in 1872" (Jerome Trombley); Dr. 



Atkins reports it very common in 1875, but very rare until 1874 at Locke; " first 



seen at Plymouth forty years ago" (J. B. Purdy); Dr. G. W. Topping says that it 



first appeared at Dewitt in 1881, and was numerous from the first; 'common and 



breeds at Port Sanilac" (W. A. Oldfield); 'abundant at Bay City, where it arrives 



from May 13 to June 1" (N. A. Eddy); "abundant summer resident at Albion 



and St. Joseph, but never seen at Palmer, Marquette Co.'* (O. B. Warren). I have 



reports of this bird as far north as Benzie Co., in the Southern Peninsula, and 



Mr. E. E. Brewster, of Iron Mountain, writes me that it occurs rarely at that place. 



Genus MOLOTHRU3 Swains. 



209-495-(313). 31olothriis ater (Bodd.). *Cowbird ; Lazy Bjrd ; Cow Bunting. 



Increasingly abundant; throughout the state; March to November; insect feeder; 

 "rare migrant at Mackinac Island" (S. E. White); "abundant at Albion and St. 

 Joseph, but rare at Palmer. Marquette Co." (O. B. Warren). " Keweenaw Po nt " 



87 



