1046 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



ments and brought back a friend of other days. Mr. E. M. Kindle 

 says it arrived in Brown County April 4, 1884. Its first appearance, 

 early and late seasons, are as follows: Brookville, April 11, 1897, 

 April 24, 1884; Bicknell, April 15, 1894; Greencastle, April' 19, 1896, 

 April 25, 1893; Muncie, April 21, 1894, April 24, 1893; Carroll 

 County, May 4, 1885, May 8, 1884; Dekalb County, April 21, 1896, 

 April 27, 1894; Plymouth, Mich., April 18, 1896, May 1, 1893, 1895; 

 Chicago, 111., May 1, 1895, May 8, 1897. 



It will be observed that the first arrivals of this bird, like that of a 

 number of others, is earlier in eastern Michigan than in Chicago. 

 However, the bulk of the migrants arrive at the same Michigan places 

 but a day or two ahead of Chicago. Some years the weather condi- 

 tions are such that bird? move forward over a great stretch of country 

 with nothing to retard them. Other years, they advance and halt 

 and again go forward, making their general advance very slowly. In 

 .1896, the first Yellow Warbler was seen at Brookville April 16. The 

 same day five were seen at Frankfort. That day the advance was 

 noted at Plymouth, Mich., to be followed by others next day. April 

 18 a great bird wave appeared, bringing multitudes of Yellow Warblers 

 to Brookville and Frankfort. They practically extended across the 

 length of Indiana in two days. On the other hand, the first arrival 

 reached Brown County in 1894, April 4; Brookville, April 20; Muncie, 

 April 21; Greencastle, April 24; Waterloo, April 27; Plymouth, Mich., 

 April 28; Wolf Lake, Ind., May 5. They begin mating very promptly 

 when the females arrive, which is usually a few r days later than the 

 coming of the males. I have recorded mating April 21, 1887, and 

 have found them nest-building May 2 (1886). 



In 1883 I saw a nest with eggs May 19, and in 1882, May 23. Nest- 

 ing continues through May and the most of June. The nests are most 

 often built in orchards and lawns and in the smaller trees fringing 

 streams. The Yellow Warbler is one of the most common victims 

 of the Cowbird, but she has learned to outwit the parasite. When the 

 Cowbird's egg is found in her nest, she has been known to cover it 

 with another nest, and occasionally with a second, making three nests, 

 one on top of the other. In the two lower ones are buried the Cow- 

 bird's eggs. Mr. E. R. Quick has such a nest, taken near Brookville, 

 in the spring of 1878. After the young are able to fly with ease, 

 these birds begin to desert the orchards and lawns. One by one, they 

 disappear through July and early in August, until very few are left. 

 Their disappearance is so gradual that few there are who note their 

 going. No more unsatisfactory records are at hand of the fall migra- 

 tion of any birds than of this one. While some years most of them 



