26 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 2 



in a small cavity in a Sycamore, three eggs. Tlie 

 female refused to leave the nest, but offered no re- 

 sistance when I removed her. 



May 20. Found a nest of the Barn Owl in a 

 Black Oak witli seven eggs not hadly incubated. 

 I liave noticed in every instance that the Barn 

 Owl begins to sit as soon as tlie first egg is laid 

 and tliat generally two eggs are laid ou successive 

 days, then a couple of days elapse and two more 

 are laid and so on until tlie set is complete. 



In April tlie creeks rose liigh, washing away the 

 banks, and witli the b;inks many Owl holes. 

 Yet as soon as the waters receded the Barn 

 Owls dug new lioles. On examining them I found 

 thesixeand direction very irregular, showing that 

 the birds avoid the hnrd portions of the banks. 

 Tlie burrows, liowever, extended in quite a dis- 

 tance, so that the eggs could not lie obtained. 



On Six Species of Hummingbirds of 

 the Pacific Slope. 



ny CII.\S. W. GUNN, gr.vnd r.\pids, micii. 



The past Winter I spent adding to my orni- 

 thological collection at Colton, San Bernardino 

 county, Southern California, and as of late there 

 have appeared in the O. & O. several lists on the 

 birds of that section, perhaps a few notes on the 

 Hummingbirds would also be acceptable. 



TrochiluK (dexniulri, Black-chinned Humming- 

 bird. This species first made its appearance in 

 the valley April 8tli, when five specimens were 

 taken, and from this time until my departure in 

 .Tune it was abundant. No nests were taken and 

 I am unable to say whether it breeds here or not. 

 Its favorite resort was a dead twig in the top of 

 some small bush, where it would sit for hours, oc- 

 casionally darting after a passing insect, which 

 constituted its only food, and at no time did I ob- 

 serve it feeding on tlie flowers, of which the valley 

 was one vast field. 



SrhispliDfim riifiix, Rufous-backed Humming- 

 bird. April ."ith I made a journey to Riche's canon 

 after Hummers, and in the lower part of the canon 

 where we found the black sage in blossom. Hum- 

 mers were abundant, especially this species which 

 was represented by hundreds. A few weeks later 

 on making a second trip to the canon tliey had 

 entirely disappeared on their northern migration. 

 Mr. R. B. Herron informs me none remain in the 

 valley during the Summer, all passing to the north 

 to breed. 



SduKphoms alleni, Allen's Hummer, Not com- 

 mon, five specimens taken, found in company 

 with /S'. rHfiis. 



fxiiixphiiriis an nre, Anna's Hummingbird. Com- 



mon and resident, found breeding as early as 

 April 7tli. 



Sehixpliorii.i r<mtn\ Costa's Hummingbird. First 

 taken April .jth, and in a few days it became com- 

 mon all along the foot hills. Nest and eggs taken 

 on Slover mountain April 29th, attached to the 

 almost perpendicular branch of a sage bush, about 

 five feet from the ground ; being composed mainly 

 of sheep's wool, the exterior covered with very 

 small leaves and an occasional feather. The nest 

 measuring l^j inches in diameter Ijy II4 raches in 

 depth, the cavity being .75x..'!0. 



SteUidii calliripe, Calliope Hummingliird. This 

 miniature Hummer was very rare, but five speci- 

 mens being taken by our partj' of five during the 

 season. 



The Olive-backed and Hermit 

 Thrushes in Michigan. 



BY DK. MOKUIS GIBBS. 



IFi/locichUi ustidata gtminsoni (Caban.) Ridg. — 

 Olive-backed Thrush, Swainson's Thrush. 



This is one of our rarer Tlirushes, and its habits 

 are but little known, even to the close observer. 

 Tlie information as regards arrivals and dejiar- 

 tures during migrations is meager, for the species 

 never appears in any numbers, and manj^ collect- 

 ors pass"an entire season in tlie woods without 

 seeing a specimen. It is a silent, retiring bird, 

 and though a straggler occasionally enters the 

 citj' and remains some time in private dooryards, 

 it is as a rule scarcely seen. Arriving from the 

 south in the early part of May, the Olive-back 

 leisurely [lasses northward, but few remaining 

 south of the 44tli parallel. While migrating its 

 presence is rarely detected, except by chance or 

 tlie closest search by the collector. Although well 

 distributed throughout the larger part of the 

 Lower Peninsula, it is only locally dispersed even 

 in those localities where it remains to breed. 



Cabot, in his list of birds ot Lake Superior and 

 vicinity, and .1. H. Steere, in his list of the birds 

 of Sanlt Ste. Marie, omit this species. It is, how- 

 ever, undoubtedly found in the northern parts of 

 the State during the nesting season, and most 

 certainly as a migrant. 



The nests are, so far as observations extend in 

 the State, placed in bushes a few feet from the 

 ground. It has been my good fortune to secure • 

 one set of eggs. The nest was placed in a bush 

 about four feet from the ground, and was com- 

 ])osed entirely of twigs, fibrous roots, bark and 

 weed strippings. The structui'c is much more 

 artistic in workmanship than the nests built by 

 any others of the genus. Less bulky than lliat of 

 the familiar Catbird, it is somewhat similar in 



