ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 17-N0. 10 



night a storm came up and it rained stead- 

 ily for two days, not a dripping rain nor 

 even open-and-shut sort of weather, but a 

 regular young deluge. So I had to give 

 it up and go back to the fort. Three days 

 after a settler brought in the three scalps. 

 He killed one cub at his calf pen and fol- 

 lowed the other and got it along side of 

 the dead old one. Her hide was too far 

 gone to save, but I got the head and claws. 

 Now for the sequel . Of course I claimed 

 the old one's scalp, and that led to a very 

 practical argument between the other fel- 

 low and I. He got in the first two 

 shots, but I took off two fingers and a 

 thumb and broke his jaw. And though I 

 patched all up nicely myself and left him 

 two nice fingers on his right hand, and 

 didn't charge a cent for the job, his family 

 and friends kicked up such a row over it 

 that I had to leave that part of the countr}^ 

 for good and all. I don't think I was 

 much of a fool for doing that. I think 

 they would have been more lenient if I 

 hadn't got the scalp. Any way I sold it 

 too as soon as I finished stitching him up. 

 For we shook hands — left hands — after 

 I had him arranged all comfortable ; but he 

 went right off his nut again when he heard 

 the hard dollars ring down on the counter 

 and saw me scoop them in. Age brings 

 sense, and I think I have got better sense 

 now than to run the risk of lining a jDan- 

 ther's belly with my precious old bones. 



Robert Cars' a 11. 



The Rose-breasted Grosbeak in 

 Michigan. 



I noticed in the September number of 

 the Ornithologist and Oologist a 

 piece regarding the range of the Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak. I will say that is very 

 abundant in this locality. 



One day this summer I entered a small 

 patch of woods on a stream called Plaster 

 Creek. Off in the corner I could hear the 

 song of this bird. Hurrying in that direc- 



tion, I soon discovered him in an oak tree. 

 A shot from my gun settled him and he 

 was soon in my bag. He was hardly 

 fixed when I heard the same song in two 

 different directions, and in a few minutes 

 two fine males found their way into my 

 bag. 



I then went over to a small hill covered 

 with oak shrubs ; here I secured three 

 males and two females. 



Again, when I had left my gun at home, 

 I saw six of these birds. 



This summer I found- a nest ; it con- 

 tained an Q.^^ and I left it, thinking to re- 

 turn in a few days and get it when the set 

 was full, but when I called it was gone. 



By this you will see that the Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak is quite a common bird 

 in Kent County. W. E. Mull i ken. 



Some Notes of the ^A^inter of 1889- 

 1890. 



Dec. 6, 1889. Saw one $ Maryland 

 Yellow-throat; about 15 each Purple and 

 Rusty Crackles ; also heard some Tow- 

 hees and one Pine Siskin. 



Dec. 7. Saw two $ Towhees and three 

 Thrashers ; one of the latter using his 

 bill instead of his feet to scratch among 

 the leaves with. 



Dec. 10. Heard a Siskin and a Tow- 

 hee. Purple and Rusty Crackles still 

 about. 



Dec. 13. Saw a flock of 30 Killdeer. 



Dec. 14. Saw 150 Purple Crackles, 20 

 Rusty Crackles, 2 Thrashers. Robins 

 have been very abundant so far this month, 

 feeding on dogwood berries. Qiiite warm 

 up to date. 



Dec. 16. Some 25 Rusty Crackles in 

 woods ; no Purple Crackles and less than 

 one-fourth as many Robins. Saw a ? 

 Towhee and heard one or two others. 

 Somewhat cooler. 



Dec. 18. Saw four Cedar Birds. 



Dec. 20. Saw 15 Purple Crackles to- 

 day and on several days previous. 



