August, 1S93.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



123 



here. I found one nest, May 26, 1886, 

 with six eggs. 



The Prairie-horned Lark is common, 

 and some breed in April. 



Our Flycatchers are the Kingbird, Wood 

 Pewee, Phoebe, Crested and Traill's, with 

 a few Acadian and Least. The Traill's 

 are not as abundant as formerly, owing 

 probably to the relentless search for their 

 eggs by the " small boy." 



The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is 

 abundant after May, but its nest is seldom 

 seen. The only one I ever found was in 

 1885 in an oak tree. The Chimney Swift 

 is a very abundant summer resident, as is 

 the Nighthawk, who breeds on the flat 

 roofs of buildings or in pasture lands. 

 The Whip-poor-will is rare, but occasion- 

 ally nests. A friend of mine found one 

 on Belle Isle in 18S7 with two eggs. 



The Red-head is our commonest Wood- 

 pecker, followed by the Downy, Flicker, 

 Hairy, Yellow-bellied, Red-bellied, and 

 sometimes the Pileated ; but the latter is 

 nearly extinct here. 



The Belted Kingfisher is common, and 

 a few breed on the St. Clair and Detroit 

 rivers. 



Both the Cuckoos are summer residents, 

 but the Black-bill is the rarest. 



Owls are rather scarce, but our list in- 

 cludes the Great Horned, Barred, Long 

 and Short-eared and Screech. 



The Raptorcs are well represented by 

 the Red-shoulder, Red-tailed, Cooper, 

 Marsh, Sharp-shinned, Sparrow, Broad- 

 winged and Pigeon. The Bald Eagle is 

 very rare, but can sometimes be seen. 

 The past winter two hung around the river 

 in front of the city, feeding on the wild 

 duck that were driven down from the flats 

 by the ice. A pair is said to breed on 

 Dickinson Island. 



The Mourning Doves are rather rare. 

 Quails and Ruffed Grouse are on the in- 

 crease. The former were nearly exter- 

 minated. 



The Great Blue Heron is our most 

 abundant one, but the Green, American 

 and Least Bittern and Night Herons are 

 summer residents. 



The Virginia, Sora and King Rails 

 breed, as do the Coot and Florida Galli- 

 nules. , 



The Plover, etc., include the Killdeer, 

 Spotted Sandpiper, Woodcock, Yellow- 

 legs, Wilson's Snipe and several other va- 

 rieties. 



Canada Geese can be seen migrating 

 every year, but they seldom light. 



Of the Gulls there are several varieties, 

 but as I am not very familiar with them I 

 shall not endeavor to name them. 



The Black Tern is very abundant and 

 breeds in immense numbers along in the 

 marshes. The Forster's and Common 

 Terns also occur. 



The Loon is rare, but sometimes 

 breeds. 



The Pied-billed Grebe is the most 

 abundant, but the Horned Grebe is a sum- 

 mer resident, and both breed in the river 

 marshes. 



Of the birds which occasionally appear 

 the Turkey Buzzard is one. They some- 

 times come in August. A farmer in 

 Highland Park, near Detroit, saw a flock 

 and secured one, which he has in a pen. 



B. H. Swales. 



Detroit, Mich., Aug. i, 1893. 



Fletcher M. Noe, Indianapolis, Ind., 

 reports that he received a ? White Peli- 

 can, killed at New Castle, Ind., May 20, 

 and says that it is a rare catch for the 

 locality. Mr. Noe made us a call while 

 east a few days since. He makes a spe- 

 cialty of relics. 



A tame Red-tailed Hawk at our work 

 shop is quite a convenience. He watches 

 anxiously for the bodies of all the small 

 birds that are skinned. He is by no means 

 fastidious in his tastes. 



