DICKCISSEL 185 



numbers at the roost was perceptible, and there was every reason to 

 believe the fall migration had begun. I had to leave Illinois at 

 this time, and so could not record the later developments at this 

 roost. Most dickcissels leave central Illmois by September 10 to 

 15, but a few stragglers may linger several days longer. My latest 

 record is of a young male collected Oct. 2, 1907. 



Dates when the dickcissel was last seen in Minnesota are: Filhnore 

 County, Aug. 20, 1888; Minneapolis, Aug. 28, 1928; Pipestone County, 

 Sept. 8,' 1930; and McLeod County, Sept. 12, 1893 (Roberts, 1932). 



For Wisconsin, Taber (1947) gives the following dates when birds 

 were last seen: Rusk County, Aug. 2, 1934; Dane County, Aug. 

 15 1943; Jefferson County, Aug. 17, 1939; Jefferson County, Aug. 

 3o', 194l'; and Racine County, Sept. 30, 1939. Taber states that 

 the bulk of the dickcissel population leaves Wisconsin by mid- August. 

 In Michigan (Wood, 1951), the migration takes place mainly in 

 August. Specimens were taken at Jackson Sept. 8, 1941, and in 

 Washtenaw County Sept. 28, 1923. Bu-ds have been noted in 

 the Toledo-Erie Marsh until mid-August, and sometunes as late as Sep- 

 tember 10. Specimens were collected there Sept. 9, 1934, and 

 Sept. 5, 1936. 



The latest record for Buchanan County, Iowa is September 1, but 

 the species has usuaUy disappeared by August 15 (Pierce, 1930). 



In Ohio Trautman (1940) states: "The few transients seen during 

 the southward movement mdicated that migration took place prin- 

 cipally in late August. In this movement the bird was very incon- 

 spicuous, it remained chiefly where weeds grew in profusion."^ 



Otto Widmann (1907) writes of the fall migration at St. Louis, Mo.: 

 "* * * we sometunes see parents feeding young after the middle of 

 August. When the breeding season closes, famihes gather into small 

 flocks and are seen flying south in the early hours of the day from 

 August 20 to September 10. To the general observer the species is 

 rare after the middle of September, but for one who imows the roosts 

 the last has not gone before the first of October." 



W W Cooke (1888) writes of the species' fall migration in the 

 Mississippi Valley: "In the fall of 1884 the last Black-throated 

 Bunting [dickcissel] left Des Moines, Iowa August 29. The bulk 

 left Mount Carmel, Mo., September 6, and the last September 20. 

 At Unadilla, Nebr., none were seen after August 23. At San Angelo, 

 Tex., where it is an abundant migrant, the first appeared November 6, 

 and the last was seen November 23. 



a* * * In the fall of 1885 none were seen at Huron, S. Dak., after 

 July 7; Iowa City, Iowa, August 29; Mount Carmel, Mo., September 

 20, and Saint Louis, Mo., September 26." 



