Taverner and Swales, on Birds of Point Pelee. 145 



monest species on the Point, outnumbering the Baltimore perhaps 

 two to one. One or more are seldom out of hearing, and their voice 

 is always pleasant to the ear, while their forms, in all their various 

 plumages, can be seen darting away through the trees on either hand 

 the whole length of the Point as we follow along the road. The 

 farmers are well acquainted with both the orioles and call this spe- 

 cies the "Oriole,"' while the Baltimore is generally known as the 

 "Golden Robin." The fruit growers of the neighborhood regard 

 them as rather injurious to their small fruit, because they puncture 

 large numbers of hanging grapes. Though they were as numerous 

 as usual as late in the season as June 1, 1907, we do not think that 

 many individuals regularly breed on the I'oint, as very few nests, 

 either new or old, have been observed in late fall when such objects 

 are very conspicuous. 



The Orchard Oriole leaves in the fall a little earlier than the Bal- 

 timore. In 1905 none were present September 3. When we arrived 

 September 1, the following year, they had likewise left, though the 

 Baltimore was still common. In 1907 we saw two, August 2G, which 

 forms our latest date. 

 115. * Icterus galbula. — Baltimore Oriole. 



One of the commonest birds of the Point. His brilliant livery can 

 be continually seen flashing from tree to tree, while his full rich 

 voice makes the fine spring air melodious. They have been more 

 than common on all spring visits and in all September trips, except 

 that of 1905, when they seemed to have left a little earlier than 

 usual. September 1 to 3, 190G, they were quite common and singing 

 daily. One of these days we heard a little fragmentary song 

 from one that was unlike anything we had ever heard before. Had 

 either of us been musicians we could have imitated it perfectly. It 

 sounded so human that at first we thought it was a boy whistling, 

 having the same quality and timbre. It was as if some one was ab- 

 sent-mindedly whistling the fragments of an air, with many breaks 

 and missing notes, as if busy with other thoughts. It was very pret- 

 ty, indeed, and we suppose that it was uttered by the young male, 

 though we could not make out this point for a certainty. We heard 

 the almost full spring song several times. When we returned to the 

 Point the 15th the Orioles had all gone. The fall of 1907 we saw sev- 

 eral each day until September 2, when the last one was noted. Keays 

 lists the species as late as September 20 in 1901. This must be re- 

 garded, however, as an exceptionally late date. 

 116. Eupliagus carolinus. — Rusty Blackbird. 



As is to be expected, the Rusty Blackbird is but a migrant at the 

 Point. We have met it in flocks October 29, 1905, and the 14th and 

 15th of the same month in 1906. If it was present March 9 and 10, 



