THE OOLOGIST 



25 



has departed. Chipping Sparrows are 

 common about the hedge and piazza 

 from April to October, and the Song 

 Sparrow a fortnight earlier, and later, 

 builds its nest two or three feet up in 

 the hedge which bounds the lot on one 

 side. A vision of color and loud but 

 delightful song comes with the Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak, which has sung 

 each season for several years, though I 

 cannot imagine where thev can nest in 

 this neighborhood, for it is not suited to 

 their requirements. Another singer is 

 the Indigo bird, now seldom heard in 

 the neighborhood. The sulphur coat of 

 the Goldfinch is a pleasant sight to us, 

 while the ubiquitous passer of imported 

 fame is an eye-sore to the community. 

 Of the sparrows which only appear in 

 the colder months, may be mentioned 

 the rare Evening Grosbeak, which vis- 

 its lower Michigan at ram intervals and 

 has been ohsprred in our yard but dur- 

 ing a single season. The Pine Gros- 

 b«ak is anothpr occHsional winter strag- 

 gler, while the red and white-winged 

 Crossbills both visit our evergreens. 

 The common Redpoll and Pine Siskin 

 are oooasional visitants, appearing a 

 little after the Junct> leaves us for the 

 south, and about the time when the 

 Snowflakes fly in compact flocks on 

 their winter wanderings. 



The cheering notes of the Red-eyed 

 Vireo are to be heard each May, June 

 and July, while the soul-thrilling, gurg- 

 ling melody of the Warbling, and the 

 clear penetrating staccato of the Yel- 

 low-throated Vireos are listened to with 

 delight, though the latter singer does 

 not nest in the neighborhood to my 

 knowledge. That sweet singing bird of 

 gorgeous plumage, the Scarlet Tanager, 

 wanders into our domain in May while 

 looking for a mate, and proves to us 

 that a guady bird may sing divinely. 

 The Cedarbird once built its nest in our 

 old greening tree, and still appears ir- 

 regularly in winter. The cherry trees 

 were the attraction in summer, and the 



mountain asi berries in cold weather. 

 One White-rumpel Shrike visited us 

 years ago, and a Great Northern Shrike 

 was ciptiired in the winter. 



Fivo species of swallows fly ab^ve our 

 yard annually; the Barn, Eave, Tree, 

 Bank and Purple Martin, t'le latter for- 

 merly nesting in a little bird house on 

 the roof of the barn. The flights of 

 these swallowH are readily distinguisha- 

 ble. 1 think I have seen the Rough- 

 wing flying but it will not be recorded, 

 for no species arn embraced excepting 

 those positively identified. The Prairie 

 Horned Lark is occasionally seen above 

 in its undulating flight, uttering its 

 cheery chirp. 



During the migrations many species 

 of warblers are noted as they pause on 

 their journey to search for the insect 

 food which is their reliance. There are 

 thirty or more species of these little 

 winged sprites in the county, but some 

 of them have not visited our lot, as they 

 are lovers of wilder sections. It is 

 strange that the Wilson's White-browed 

 and Capo May Warblers should be seen 

 in the city. The Black-and-White Creep- 

 ing, Black throated Green, Yellow-rump 

 and Blackburnian are the most frequent- 

 ly seen, and until recently were season- 

 ally observed, while the Chestnut-sided» 

 Red-start, Parula, Nashville, Tennessee, 

 Yellow, Black-and-Yel low, Blackthroat- 

 ed Blut\ Bay-breasted, Yellow Red-pol- 

 led and Oven-bird have only been seen 

 at wide intervals, and some but once 

 At any time, from the earliest appear- 

 ance in April to the latest visit of the 

 Tennessee in late May warblers are of 

 almost daily occurrence in the enclos- 

 ure; and again in September there are 

 flocks which frequently embrace two to 

 four species. But none of the warblers 

 ever remain in the neighborhood during 

 summer. 



That little busy-body, the House Wren, 

 is a seasonal visitor, and once nested on 

 the premises. Golden-crowned and 

 Ruby-crowned Kinglets appear spring 



