MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 55 



RESULTS OF THE SHIRAS EXPEDITIONS TO WHITEFISH POINT, 



MICHIGAN.— BIRDS. 



NORMAN A. WOOD. 



The biological survej' of the Whitefish Point Region which has been 

 carried on for three years bj^ the Aluseum of Zoologj^, University of Michi- 

 gan, and the Michigan Geological and Biological Survey' was begun in 1912 

 b}^ the Museum of Zoologj' with the assistance of Hon. George Shiras 3d. 

 The work of the first year consisted of a preliminary study of the verte- 

 brates other than fishes and was assigned to the writer, who was in the 

 field for nearly six weeks, from July 6 to August 14, all but nine days of 

 which (July 28-August 6) were spent near the end of the point, the remainder 

 of the time at Vermilion. The birds and mammals received most atten- 

 tion, but no opportunity of obtaining reptiles and amphibians was neglected. 



In 1914, the writer was again sent to the region to supplement the work 

 of 1912 by an investigation of the late spring migrant birds and a further 

 study of the mammals and breeding birds. The field work Was begun on 

 May 11 and continued to August 19, the first three weeks being spent at 

 the end of the point, the remainder of the time at Vermilion. For eight 

 weeks, beginning June 24, Frank Novy, University of Michigan, acted as 

 assistant, and after Juh' 1 Otto McCreary joined the party, devoted his 

 time entirely to the study of the birds, and very generoush^ presented his 

 notes and specimens to the survey. 



Few naturalists appear to have visited this point. It is briefly described 

 by several geologists and explorers, but the writer has been unable to find 

 in the literature any reference to the birds. It should be mentioned, how- 

 ever, that the late John Clarke, of Vermilion, resided at the Whitefish Point 

 postoffice for thirty years, and during that time studied the birds and mam- 

 mals and fortunately mounted many specimens. The writer examined this 

 collection, which is now in part in the Sault Ste. Marie high school and in 

 part in the store of A. H. Eddy at Sault Ste. Marie, and has included the 

 records in this paper with those observations of Clarke about which there 

 can be little question. 



LOCATION. 



Whitefish Point is in Chippewa County, in the northern peninsula of 

 Michigan. It extends northeastward into Lake Superior and forms the 

 northern end of Whitefish Bay. For the purpose of this study, the base of 

 the point is arbitrarily fixed at a line extending from the county line of 

 Chippewa and Luce at Lake Superior to the Shelldrake River, and down 

 this river to the town of Shelldrake. 



Near the end of the point is the Whitefish Point lighthouse, and the build- 

 ings and dock of a fishing company. On the west side of the point and 

 about three miles from the lighthouse is the Whitefish Point postoffice, 

 and about seven miles farther west is the life saving station and postoffice 

 known as Vermilion. On the south side of the point, at the mouth of the 

 Shelldrake River, is the little town of Shelldrake. 



