THE MUSEUM. 



6i 



■■'Black Skowbird, 

 junco hyciiia/is, Linn. 



Breeds abundantly from 44 degrees 

 north latitude, north. As a rule the 

 black snowbird migrates south, but 

 often a few remain and in southern 

 Michigan it is not uncommon to find 

 birds in December, January and Feb- 

 ruary. In fact it is safe to say that 

 the birds are seen seasonally in Dec. 

 and Feb, at the 42d parallel. A lively 

 bird, and always gregarious in migra- 

 tion ; frequenting hedgerows and gar- 

 dens and often visiting the city yards. 

 It is almost entirely a ground feeder. 

 It builds its nest nearly always in a 

 bush and from one to six feet from the 

 ground. Sometimes on the ground. 



"Oregon Snowbird, 

 Jutico Iiycnialis oregonus. 



Embraced by two or three state 

 lists. I know nothing of it. 



European or English Sparrow, 

 Passer doincsticjts. 



Preeminently English; peculiarly 

 pernicious; possibly predaceous; posi- 

 tively pertinacious; breeds extravag- 

 antly ; increases preposterously ; spreads 

 sporadically. Condemned eternally, 

 Selah, 



The idea of an idiotic man or set of 

 men advocating the importation of the 

 english sparrow (spelled with a letter 

 e.) It beats all comprehension, and 

 could only result from ignorance, and 

 the attendant want of judgment that 

 results from a fooHsh fad. ' Tis Eii • 

 glis/i ye ktioiu. Yaws! and we are 



* The late Dr. H. Atkins of Locke, Mich., 

 wrote nie that he had taken the Red-backed 

 Snowbird in Ingham Co. I cannot think that 

 this species belongs in a Michigan list, and so 

 place it in this foot-note. 



bound to get our pay for entertaining 

 this bloody Britisher, "ye know." 



Swamp Sparrow, 

 Mi-/os/ii::a gcorgiana. Lath. 



Abundant in suitable sections, gen- 

 erally about the marshy borders of 

 streams, lakes and ponds. Have met 

 with it in several counties and believe 

 it fairly well distributed. Only found 

 in the neighborhood of marshy tracts. 

 It is a later arrival than the song spar- 

 row and usually gets here about April 

 first and remains till the middle of Oc- 

 tober or later. Its notes, a chattering 

 song, are rarely recalled. 



Song Sparrow, 

 Mclospica fasciata, Gmel. 



I have yet to meet with this pleas- 

 ing singer in January and February, 

 but I shall not be much surprised to 

 learn that it occasionally winters here. 

 My earliest date is March third. By 

 March tenth they are common as a 

 rule, and by the middle of the month 

 are heard singing in abundance. Song 

 sparrows have been seen about most 

 places in December. Breeds plenti- 

 fully in both peninsulas. 



Lincoln's Finch. 

 Mclospiza liiicohii, Aud. 



On May 16, 1875, I secured two 

 specimens, 42 parallel, 85 degrees lon- 

 gitude west. On Sept. 28th and again 

 Oct. 9th, 1879, specimens were also 

 secured. This is a rare migrant, and 

 I cannot say as to its remaining in 

 Michigan during summer. 



Fox Sparrow, 



Passcrclla iliac a. 



A common species in the Lower 

 Peninsula, both spring and autumn, 



