86 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 6 



A Catalogue of the Birds of Kala- 

 mazoo County, Michigan. 



BY DR. MOnniS GIBBS. — r.\RT V. 



"3. [150.] Ampelis garriiUm. Linn. Northern 

 or Bohemian Wa.xwing. A very rare Winter 

 visitant. I have never met with it. 



74. [151.] Ampelis cedronim. (Vieill.)Baircl. Ce- 

 dar Bird, Carolina Waxwing. A very irregular spe- 

 cies in its migrations. Many claim Uiat this 

 species does not migrate, but years of observa- 

 tion have convinced us that the Cherry-bird, as it 

 is more commonly called here, does migrate 

 several times a year as a rule. Some of the mi- 

 grations are limited, and occur within one county 

 or even township, as at the time when the birds 

 leave the orchards or villages and sojourn for a 

 time in the deep woods. Again the birds migrate 

 to the south, and are not seen during an entire 

 Winter. The Cherry-birds were not seen by me 

 smce last October up to the present date, April 

 16, 1885, excepting one appearance of a small 

 flock on January 28d. Some seasons the birds 

 are exceedingly abundant throughout almost the 

 entire year, and again few are seen. 



The birds are very common some Winters and 

 may be seen almost continually from December 

 1st to April. After appearing in large flocks dur- 

 mg .January and February, and even into March 

 they will disappear for some time frequently and 

 will not be observed again until the nesting sea- 

 son, which occurs in .June and frequently lasts 

 until August. 



75. [166.] Plnicola enucUator (Linn ) Vicill 

 Pine Grosbeak. Has only appeared here two 

 Winters m my experience. One Winter was ex- 

 ceedingly cold, the other milder. Abundant 

 while here, and always gregarious. We may 

 term it a very irregular straggler from the north". 

 <6. [168.] Carpodacus purpnreiis (Gm ) Baird 

 Purple Finch. Not rare in Spring and Fall It 

 has a beautiful song which is frequently uttered 

 during April. Seen again in September and 

 ';if" ; Not known to Summer liere. 

 77. 1 172.] Loxia eurvirostra americaiia (Wils) 

 Cones. American -Crossbill; Red Crossbill.' 

 l^uite common some seasons, again rare or not 

 seen at all for several years. Arrives generally 

 m late December or January. Occasionally seen 

 in November. During the last Winter the birds 

 were tirst seen in January. They became quite 

 common in February, and have been observed al- 

 most every day in the city in large or small flocks 

 up to the present time. May 10th, 1885. An un- 

 suspecting bird and interesting in its peculiarities 

 Where and when tliese birds nest is an interesting 



problem. In their usual haunts in the northern 

 woods they undoubtedly have a regular season of 

 tlie .year for breeding, but when far south of their 

 chosen nesting localities, it seems to me that the 

 time must be changed. If the birds build their 

 nests and rear their young in January, as some 

 attest, tlie absence or small size of the testes of 

 tho.se specimens taken here in April, would in- 

 dicate tliat the species either nested with us in tlie 

 early part of the year, or that the migrated to the 

 southern part of our State after tlie breeding sea- 

 son. If, however, the crossbill nests after leaving 

 us for the north, then it must nest late in Summer 

 I think, for the sexual organs of all specimens I 

 iiave examined in May in several years, in no way 

 indicated a change incident to the functions wliic'h 

 are performed by birds generally at this season. 



78. [173.] Lox-ki leucoptera (Gmelin.) White- 

 winged Cimsliill. This bird is so little known in 

 tlie county that information concerning it is 

 meager. It may he termed a very rare straggler. 

 Mr. Chapin was tlie first to observe the white- 

 wing here ; a small flock in Winter. 



79. [179]. ^giotlius linaria (Linn.) Caban. 

 Common Redpoll ; Lesser Redpoll. A com- 

 mon irregular Winter visitant. Occasionally ap- 

 pears in early November and in these instances a 

 cold Winter is generally looked for, but such is 

 not always the consequence. Usually appear in 

 December and remain until April 1st. Some- 

 times remain until April 15th. Always gregar- 

 ious when here. Frequently pass by us further 

 south. 



80. [179rt]. ^giotfius liiiaria hoVbolli (Brehm.) 

 Ridgw. Greater Redpoll. Taken once in the 

 Winter of 1878 by F. H. Chapin. A rare strag- 

 gler occasionally taken in flocks of the last named. 



81. [181.] AstragftUnus tristis (Linn.) Caban. 

 Goldfinch ; Thistlebird ; Yellow-bird. A com- 

 mon resident from April to December. A resi- 

 dent some seasons, but not usually I think. Have 

 frequently watched in vain for them during the 

 Winter months. Breeds abundantly from June 

 20th to Sept. 1st. 



82. [185.] Chrymmitris pimts (Wils.) Bonap. 

 Pine Linnet or Finch. A straggler and occasion- 

 al Winter resident. Usually a transient from the 

 north, appearing in October and late April. 



83. [186.] Pledrophanes nivalis (Linn.) Meyer. 

 Snow Bunting. A visitant from the north. Not 

 seen every Winter however. U.sually appears in 

 November and pa.s.ses by us for more southern 

 quarters. Occasionally remains all Winter. 

 Gregarious, sometimes seen in flocks of .several 

 hundreds. Passes north in March and April. 



84. [187.] Centrophanes lapponieus (Linn.) 



