638 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



localities, and in the same locality in different years. Probably it has 

 always been a resident of the state, yet Dr. Morris Gibbs states that it first 

 appeared in Kalamazoo county in 1873 or 1874 and increased in numbers 

 for ten years or more. He states that it was exceedingly abundant there 

 in 1879, grew noticeably scarcer in the late nineties and was not seen at all 

 in 1903-04. According to A. B. Covert, of Ann Arbor, it reached Washte- 

 naw county in the spring of 1877, while at Petersburg, Mich., Jerome 

 Trombley first mentions it in May 1891. Dr. R. H. Wolcott states that it 

 was never seen at Grand Rapids until June 1899, at one locality, and a few in 

 two or three locaUties in 1900. Nevertheless, Mr. W. E. Mulliken states 

 that although he never saw the bird himself, Mr. A. B. Durfee found it 

 fairly common in meadows near Grand Rapids previous to 1895. At 

 Plymouth, Mich., James B. Purdy first found it in the spring of 1891, and 

 took two nests, ])uilt half way up in tall clover, on June first. He states 

 that they seemed to increase for a few years, but in 1904 were very scarce. 



Previous to 1896 the bird seems to have Ijeen unknown in Ingham county, 

 but in that year it l)ecame fairly common about the Agricultural College 

 and a set of four eggs was taken from a nest in a clover field on the College 

 farm, June 18, 1896, by B. 0. Longyear. It continued to be fairly common 

 in that vicinity until 1898, since which time few have been seen. Our 

 northernmost records for the state come from Grand Rapids, and the 

 southern parts of Ionia and Clinton counties. It seems therefore to be 

 confined thus far to the four lower tiers of counties and to be most abundant 

 in the two most southern tiers. 



The bird has a similar record in other parts of its range. Many years 

 ago it was abundant in eastern Pennsylvania, and in Maryland and Virginia 

 near the District of Columbia, but it seems to have disappeared completely 

 from these regions. Undoubtedly the species fluctuates remarkably in 

 numbers from year to year, and there are periods when it seems to be 

 fairly abundant over large areas, while a few years later it may be very 

 scarce or entirely wanting in tlie same localities. No plausible explanation 

 of these variations has ever been given. The bird is far from shy, is con- 

 spicuously colored, and has the habit of sitting in the same spot on the 

 top of a bush, tree, fence or telephone pole, and repeating its simple song 

 hundreds of times in succession. Its bright yellow breast and black throat 

 patch make it very conspicuous and it is not likely to be overlooked by 

 l)ird lovers in any region where it occurs in considerable numbers. 



Its song consists of five or six notes which are supposed to sound like the 

 word " dickcissel " with the emphasis on the first syllabic. It is not particu- 

 larly musical, but is perfectly characteristic. 



The nest is built of grasses, weed-stalks and leaves, lined with finer 

 grasses and hair, and is placed usually in rank clover or among weed.'^ and 

 coarse grasses within a foot or two of the ground. Occasionally it is built 

 in a rosebush or other small shrub, ])ut always very low. The eggs are 

 commonly four, pale clear l)lue, without spots, and average .81 by .61 

 inches. 



The food of the Black-throated Bunting has not been carefully in- 

 vestigated, so far as we know, but it undoul)tedly eats large quantities of 

 the common insects found in meadows and shrubby pastures, including a 

 liberal supply of grasshoppers. Professor Aughey examined the stomachs 

 of five specimens taken in Nebraska in September 1874 and 1875, and found 

 the food to consist largely of insects, from 20 to 36 in each stomach (most 

 of them locusts), together with many seeds. Professor S. A. Forbes 

 examined eleven specimens taken in an orchard overrun with canker-worms 



