292 STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



ing species? Prof. J. A. Allen writes me that he thinks Dr. Atkins was mistaken 

 in his identification. Prof. A. W. Butler identified one from Cook Co.. Illinois, only 

 two counties removed from Michigan. 



Genus ICTERUS Bbiss. 



214-506-(324). Icterus spiiriiis (Linn.), *Orchard Oriole. 



Common summer sojourner; rare about Lansing; " common in Kent Co." (S. E. 

 White); ''very common at Gi'eenville, Montcalm Co."' (Prof. James Satterlee); '"com- 

 mon and breeds at Port Sanilac'' (W. A. Oldfield), "very common in Cass Co. 

 where it breeds in June*' (J. W. Simmons); "breeds abundantly at Plymouth, and 

 usually lays five eggs" (J. B. Purdy); taken frequently in Ionia Co. by Mr. Levi 

 Broas; "common in Wayne Co. where it breeds'' (B. H. Swales); "abundant breeder 

 at Bay City. The male can be depended on to arrive the first week of May. it 

 precedes the female, it is seen but is rare at Heisterman's Island, in Saginaw Bay " 

 (N. A. Eddy); "rare but breeds at Ann Arbor" (Dr. J. B. Steere); breeds plentifully 

 in the southern part of the State; "this and the next species breed abundantly 

 at Albion and St. Joseph, but are not seen at Palmer, Marquette Co., this one 

 nests in orchard trees but the green moss covering so efl'ectually hides the nest 

 that it is found with diflficulty " (O. B. Warren); Dr. Atkins took a specimen May 

 25, 1892, at Locke, Ingham Co.; Robt. H. Wolcott took a nest with eggs at New 

 Baltimore, July 20. 1893; "nests abundantly at Manchester, often in spruce trees, 

 nests usually pendant, but shorter than the next species, woven closely to twigs 

 and much concealed " (L. W. Watkins); eggs four to six. smaller than in the next 

 species, and the dashes shorter. 



215-507-(32(>). Icterus galbula {Linn.). ^Baltimore Oriol-e ; Hang Nest ; Fire 

 Bird. 



Common; throughout the Lower Peninsula at least; " never seen at Iron Mount- 

 ain '' (E. E. Brewster); "I have never seen it at Mackinac Island" (S. E. White); 

 May, rarely April, to August; "common at Traverse City, where it breeds abun- 

 dantly"' (L. W. Watkins); '•common even in the City of Ann Arbor '' (Dr. J. B. Steere); 

 breeds; nests " purse-shaped" (L.S.Foster), suspended; "I have a nest constructed 

 wholly of horse hair from mane and tail of a horse"' (Prof. J.W.Simmons); Mr. 

 O.. B. Warren writes me that he has known these birds to return to the same 

 nest year after year, and he once knew a bird to hang itself in the suspending 

 cords of its own nest by accident; nests usually at the ends of limbs of tall 

 trees (it often selects elms or the top-most limbs of orchard trees); eggs four to 

 six, pinkish white or bluish white; scratched with brown; feeds on insects (will 

 even eat the large tomato worm) and fruit; beautiful bird; sweet singer; next to 

 the Scarlet Tanager this is the most showy of our common birds. I have seen 

 these birds eat the young bark lice from linden trees in the spring, and have seen 

 them driven away by the bees and wasps that come for the honey-dew. 



Gkntjs SCOLECOPHAGUS Swain. 



216 5<>9-(331). Scol(M'0|)liagiis carolinus {Midi). *Rustv Blackbird; Rusty 

 Grackle. 



Abundant throughout the state; migrant; "only migrant at Ann Arbor" (Dr. J. 

 B. Steere); 'have seen fiocks of this bird in fall at Port Sanilac'" (W. A. Oldfield); 



