MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 79 



6. Fulica americana. Coot. — Two coots were heard calling in the large 

 marsh not far from the Beaver Meadow on July 16. The marsh was largely 

 covered with water, in which grew a profusion of tall reeds and willows that 

 afforded an excellent cover lor a breeding site. 



7. Pisobia minutilla. Least Sandpiper. — A flock of fifteen or twenty of 

 this species was found about a pond in a burned cedar swamp on July 29. 

 As soon as disturbed, the flock left the ponds and the entire locality and no 

 others were seen. These birds were the first certain migrants. 



8. Tetanus flavipes. Yellow-legs. — A flock of eight of these birds was 

 noted, July 29, near the place where the least sandpiper was found. Like 

 the latter, the yellow-legs were migrants which left the region upon being 

 disturbed. No further flocks were seen. 



9. Helodromas solitarius solitarius. Solitary Sandpiper.— These birds 

 first appeared on July 29, when a large number were found about the pond 

 in the burned swamp mentioned under the two preceding species. After 

 that date they became common along the river and about all the ponds and 

 were still present in numbers at the time we left, August 24. They were 

 very tame and fearless; often they remained standing close to the water by 

 their feeding grounds until one approached by boat near enough to strike 

 them down were he quick enough. On several occasions individuals actu- 

 ally attempted to alight on the bow of our canoe while the paddler was 

 working in the stern. They fed on the mud fiats along the river, and on 

 the lower banks both of the lakes and streams, singly or in twos and threes, 

 but gathered in flocks of twelve to fifteen about the ponds in the burned 

 swamps. 



10. Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. — This species was seen daily 

 during the summer. It was common along the rivers, where it fed on mud 

 flats and low banks, but became rather less abundant after August 14. 

 As a whole the species was less fearless than the preceding one, tho often a 

 bird lingered at his feeding until approached within a boat length. The 

 birds were surprisingly active in the water. One, an immature male, was 

 wounded on a mud flat and immediately attempted to fly across the river. 

 He fell in the water and was pursued in a canoe. As it came alongside of 

 the bird, he dove readily, and swam by using the wings, actually flying 

 thru the water. After traversing several yards in this fashion, he appeared 

 on the surface only to immediately disappear again, and it was with some 

 difficulty that he was finally captured. The young birds in the down fre- 

 quently deliberately took to the water when frightened, and swam readily 

 on the surface. 



In the former part of July young birds of this species, in the downy plu- 

 mage, were noted on several occasions, while the white breasted young fully 

 able to care for themselves steadily increased in numbers until the middle 

 of August. On July 6 a bird was flushed from a nest, which was not found. 



11. Oxyechus vocifenis. Killdeer. — A single bird of this species Avas seen 

 several times during the first twelve days of July on the larger mud flats 

 below camp. After this date none were recorded until August 12, when one 

 bird was found feeding along the river in company with several solitary 

 sandpipers. These two birds were all that were seen. 



12. Bonasa umbellus togata. Canada Rufl^ed Grouse. — This grouse was 

 frequently seen during the summer. Birds were most often noted at the 

 edges of the spruce and tamarack swamps in the hardwood forest, and in 

 second growth poplars, but were met with in the burned lands as well. They 

 were not shy, but on the contrary they were often quite fearless and reluc- 



