THE OOLOGIST. 



167 



residents but rather winter visitors 

 from the north. Reasoning in this way 

 we may claim, not without cause, that 

 Robins, Meadowlarks and others that 

 are but occasionally found with us in 

 winter are not really ever residents in 

 any section at the north. 



This uncertainty as to whether we 

 are to call a species a resident or win- 

 ter resident applies to a great many of 

 our birds, as for instance, the Black- 

 capped Chickadee, Nuthatches and 

 Winter Woodpeckers and others. I 

 am fairly satisfied that we have no 

 actual residents among the birds in 

 any one county, with the exception of 

 two or three Owls and a very few other 

 birds; ten at most, probably less, al- 

 though there are embraced sixteen 

 species of permanent residents in Mich- 

 igan. If I were to make out a list of 

 the actual permanent residents of Kal- 

 amazoo county, there would be em 

 braced the following few birds— Ruffed 

 Grouse, Quail, Turkey (if still found). 

 Great-horned Owl and Blue Jay and no 

 more, and I am not at all sure that 

 these few do not occasionally migrate 

 outside of the bounds of the county 

 that they generally inhabit. 



Change is a ccnstant factor in the 

 whole universe, and it is only because 

 of our comprehension of changes made 

 by the creatures about us that we are 

 continually reminded of the deviation- 

 gradual or otherwise which is taking 

 place. The principles of evolution 

 need not be considered, but it remains 

 a fact that any deviation from a stand- 

 ard, either as concerns food or the 

 movements of a species must result in 

 change, greater or lesser, and we may 

 appreciate this in many ways. 



Migration is generally a seasonal 

 feature with most of our birds and it is 

 also a well known occassional move 

 with the mammals; and e\en reptiles 

 and insects are subject to it; not per- 

 haps as a seasonal impulse but as a re- 

 sult of food requirements. No matter 



how short a distance is traveled by an 

 animal, whether it is a seasonal move 

 for the purpose of hibernation or to 

 change location on account of the 

 scarcity of food, it is a migration. 



Many turtles of our lakes and streams 

 migrate spring and fall, though it is 

 not generally known. I had an ex- 

 cellent opportunity to observe this 

 movement one season. Two ponds 

 connected by a small stream were in- 

 habited by turtles of three kinds and at 

 times there was an exodus from one to 

 the other of these lily pad pools. In 

 following the course of the connecting 

 stream the turtles fell into a large vat 

 which was used to wash sheep in. I 

 have seen this vat filled with a seething 

 mass of turtles which could not escape 

 until the water rose by autumn rains in 

 the upper pond. There was a great 

 number of snapping turtles, some of 

 which weighed as much as twenty 

 pounds, as well as a number of little 

 water terrapins, all of which had come 

 to grief from their love of migrating. 



Twice it has been my privilege to 

 observe a wholesale delivery from 

 small ponds which were being drained 

 and in which the little water terrapins 

 could no longer find an agreeable 

 lodgement. The little painted terra- 

 pins immediately took to the road, so- 

 to-speak, and piked for the nearest 

 water hole. Once a migrating box 

 tortoise came walking through our 

 yard in the center of the city and I do 

 not think that a greater surprise was 

 ever offered me in the way of unex- 

 pected city invasion. Many unexpect- 

 ed wanderers have been observed and 

 sometimes entertained, but none, not 

 excepting the striped snake, porcupine 

 and raccoon, all of which reached the 

 center of our city, have caused so pro- 

 found a sensation as this lone chelo- 

 nian. The box tortoise, commonly 

 called turtle, was entertained and we 

 kept him three years and watched the 

 seasonal hibernation. 



