J 88 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 69. 



In any case the birds w hich migrate across the rc-^^ion are prob- 

 ably httle influenced by minor changes in physical features, 

 however much breeding birds may be influenced. Of course 

 the destruction of nesting areas — by drainage of swamp 

 lands, the cutting of timber, the clearing of brushy tangles, — 

 must result in a shifting, at lea?t. of the local nesting. There 

 have been not a few changes of this sort, as we shall see as the 

 discussion by species proceeds. 



81. Colmus virfjinianus. — Bob-white. 



Sir. Baird states that there were a few in 1001 at Cedar Point, 

 but there is no mention of tl e f^pecies by any other observers at the 

 Lalce Laboratory. I flushed two about half way on the sand spit 

 January 0, 1908. The^e are the only ones observed on the sand 

 spit by the writer. None have been reported from the islands to my 

 knowledge. On the mainland the numbers vary considerably, but it 

 cannot be called a conmion bird anywhere nor at any time within 

 twenty years. Elderly persons speak of the Quail as one of the 

 conunon game birds In the earlier days. It seems probable that 

 the increasing population of the region is largely responsible, for 

 the depletion in numbers, since at the present time the numbers 

 remain about constant from year to year, evidently due to the 

 number of gunners. Twice in late winter coveys of less than 

 twenty birds have been known to pass a night on the Oberlin cam- 

 pus within five rods of the trolley line, where cars weie passing 

 every hour up to midnight. One of tie co\eys remained on the 

 campus for several hours of the day and were seen by many per- 

 sons. The favorite nesting place is in the tangle of grasses and 

 bushes along a line fence. There are numerous instances of the 

 semi-domestication of this species, so that a cons^iderable flock not 

 only fed with the chickens but roosted about the premises all winter. 



82. Boiiasa vmheUiis. — Ruffed Grouse. 



There was at least one bird ranging along the sand spit, westerly, 

 in the winter of inOG-07, as evidenced by fresh tracks on several 

 occasions. I can find no other reference to tliis species for the sand 

 spit. On the islands it is not known now, but in the earlier days it 

 was found on the larger islands. On the mainland it is nearly ex- 

 tinct because there are almost no woods where it can elude the 

 hunter. As late as twenty years ago the Ruffed Grouse was a fa- 

 miliar bird in the deeper woods and the wooded parts of the stream 

 gorges. Another decade will probably end his career in the region 

 under discussion — a victim of civilization. 



