MICHIGAN ACADEMY OP SCIENCE. 85 



camp on August 7. The species was again recorded at Holmes farm on 

 August 24. 



43. Quiscalus quiscula seneus. Bronzed Grackle. — ^This species was ob- 

 served daily until August 15. In general, it frequented the banks of the 

 river, but occasionally, particularly on wet days, it strayed into the burned 

 lands. Previous to July 16 none but adult birds were noted, but after that 

 date young birds began to appear and gradually outnumbered the adults. 

 Where the birds bred could not be determined. They did not breed along 

 the river, and all the young seen were capable of sustained flight, and yet 

 day after day they came to the river to feed on the flats and the lower banks. 

 Rarely adults were seen to leave the feeding grounds with food, but they 

 followed no common direction, some went south, some north and some west. 

 The species rapidly decreased in numbers after August 15, and was practically 

 absent from the region by August 24. 



44. Carpodacus purpureus purpureus. Purple Finch. — The first bird of 

 this species observed was an adult male near camp on July 3. This bird was 

 in splendid plumage. A second male was recorded on July 6, in a cedar 

 swamp near the river, and on the twelfth a female was taken in a group of 

 dead hardwoods in the burned lands. No more were seen. 



45. Astragalinus tristis tristis. Goldfinch. — This species was recorded 

 commonly during the summer. It was observed most ferquently in the 

 burned lands, where it fed about the weeds that had succeeded the fire. 

 In many places, usually not far from the hardwood forest, there were quite 

 extensive areas of Canada thistles, and here the birds naturally congre- 

 gated in the largest numbers. It was noticeable that the species was busy 

 at its feeding grounds during the hottest part of the day, when most of 

 the other birds were silent and retiring in habits. 



46. Pooecetes gramineus gramineus. Vesper Sparrow. — This sparrow was 

 seen commonly throughout the summer in the burned pine lands. Just as 

 the species is noted along the dusty roads of the cultivated country, so it 

 was observed in the wild places. Most commonly it frequented the old 

 wagon road that wound thru the burn, and wherever a little patch of dry 

 grass had obtained foothold there was sure to be a vesper sparrow or two 

 present. It avoided the damper places, and of course the wooded areas. 



The first breeding record was obtained on July 19, when a nest containing 

 three fresh eggs was found. It was placed close to a dusty road, in the short 

 wiry grass, and was sunk into the ground. Another nest found on July 29 

 was in the bare burned lands. It contained three eggs, also quite fresh. One 

 of these eggs was about one-fourth the length and diameter of a normal egg, 

 with the same shape and coloring. 



47. Zonotrichia albicollis. White-throated Sparrow. — The white-throated 

 sparrow was abundant during July and August, in actual numbers sureh' 

 exceeding any other single species. It was most common in the burned 

 pine lands and burned swamps, a smaller number of birds were found in 

 clearings in the hardwood forest, and still fewer were observed along the 

 rivers and in the poplar growths. The birds sang all day long, and some- 

 times during the night a few notes would be heard. The songs showed a 

 wide variation in different individuals, particularly in length. Frequently a 

 song would continue for more than half a minute, and again only two or 

 three initial notes would be given and then repeated. We even learned to 

 distinguish certain of the individuals by their song length, which proved to 

 be quite constant, at least in some cases. The species was fearless on the 

 whole, and permitted easy observation. On July 12 a young bird barely 



