118 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 8 



at high tide, but are almost dry at low. These 

 flats have been from time immemorial, a great 

 resort for shore birds iu their Spring and Fall mi- 

 grations. Of late years gunning has greatly de- 

 creased about here, and where a few years ago 

 many flocks of large birds landed, not more than 

 one out of a dozen touches to-day. Breech-load- 

 ing guns, market gunners and city sportsmen are 

 fast exterminating these birds. 



I arrived at the island May 7. Found l{ed and 

 Butfshouldered Blackbirds abundant. They 

 commenced to lay about the first of June. Song 

 and Savannah Sparrows abundant. They com- 

 menced to lay about tbe last of May. About a 

 dozen pair of White-bellied Swallows were seen. 

 Commenced to lay about May 'dO. Build in bo.xes 

 put up by the fishermen. Spotted Sandj)ipers 

 common; commenced to' lay about the 3d of 

 June. Meadow Larks common ; commenced to 

 lay about May 15. Piping Plover conmion ; 

 commenced to lay June 1st. Saw large flocks of 

 American Sheldrake out in the bav. Last one 

 seen June 9. Brant common ; last one seen May 

 17. Loon abundant ; last one seen about June 

 13. Started one Black Duck from a small salt 

 liole on meadow. Saw three Greater- Yellow- 

 legs, which became common the next day, May 

 8th ; last one seen June G. American Herring 

 Gull abundant; last one seen June 24. Four 

 Black-bellied Plover, three ? and one ' , put in 

 an ap|)earance May 8. The same four were seen 

 again May 9 ; became common May 1.5 and abun- 

 dant May 37 ; last seen June 10. Two Semi- 

 plamated Plover were seen May 11 ; became 

 common the 31st and abundant May 21. Did 

 not see any after May 3(j. Three Semiplaniated 

 Sandpipers arrived May 12, and the birds be- 

 came abundant May 10; last seen June 24. Four 

 Arctic Terns arrived May 13 and were reinforced 

 May 19 by a large number. They remained near 

 the flats until about the loth of June, when they 

 began to diminish. A few Sanderlings arrived 

 May 13 and were seen in small numbers until 

 June 37. Roseate Terns arrived in small num- 

 bers May 19 and remained until about the l.Jth of 

 June. Common Terns arrived in large numbers 

 May 13, and many remained through May and 

 June. A few breed on the island. 



Collected a i Pintail Duck in company with a 

 $ May 13. Least Sandpipers arrived in full 

 force May 13 and were abundant on the salt 

 meadows until about June 1. Three Least Terns 

 arrived on the afternoon of May 15; became 

 abundant May 19 ; first young seen June 13. 



May 17, I saw several Bonaparte Gulls on a 

 sand bar. Did not see any after May 29. A 



bunch of about two dozen Red-breasted Snipe 

 arrived May 20. Saw but one afterward. May 

 32. Saw a bunch of Turnstone May 20 ; next 

 seen May 35 ; last seen June 34. Saw an adult 

 ;5 Blackburnian Warbler feeding in the grass on 

 a sand hill near salt meadow. May 30, also shot 

 a ,5 Black-poll Warbler in a low bush the s me 

 day. JLiy 23, saw quite a number of Jaegers. 

 One marbled Godwit shot. Found about six 

 Sharp-tailed Finches on salt meadows near a 

 small salt pond. Found them quite abuiulant 

 May 28. First nest found June 13. About 

 twenty or thirty pair breeding. May 39 collected 

 a Red-backed Sandpiper out of a flock of San- 

 derlings. Two Hudsonian Curlew arrived June 

 3 and one stopped until June 25. June 8, saw a 

 Hudsonian Curlew. 



Catalogue of the Birds of Kala- 

 mazoo County, Mich. 



UY DR. MORHIS GII5B:<. — PAHT VI. 



103. [254.] Spiza americaiia (Gm.) Bonap. 

 Black-throated Bunting. Not observed here un- 

 til about 1875. lias become common only within 

 the last seven years. One of the birds evidently 

 which follows in the wake of civilization, and is 

 more common around flelds and ]>astures where 

 there are few trees. The birds are only found 

 here on prairies or near their edges, and prefer 

 clover fields as their haunts'. Not having suffi- 

 cient data, it will not be proper to offer renuirks 

 on anivals, nesting habits, &c. , for the present as 

 I have known the .species for only six years. 

 Breeds abundantly. 



104. Passer dojiiesticus. English Spari-ow. 

 Common resident. Breeds extravagantly. 



105. [357.] DoUclmnyx oryzivorus (I.,inn.) 

 Swains. Bobolink. Arrives the first of May 

 usually, sometimes by April 26th. Breeds abund- 

 antly. In late July the birds change their plum- 

 age and assume a sombre dre.ss, reuuiining among 

 buckwheat fields until late August, when they 

 leave, presumably for the rice fields of the .south. 

 Well-known species of pleasing song. 



106. [258.] Mulothrua ater (Bodd.) Gray. 

 Cow bird: Cowbunting. A common species six 

 UM)nths of the j'ear. Apjiears u.'jually in early 

 April, always by the 15th of the mouth, and oc- 

 casionally the last of March. The main body of 

 birds leave us for the south in early October, but 

 many remain until November loth, and stragglers 

 are seen even later. This immoral pest, the ter- 

 ror of small birds, is well known. It is looked 

 upon liy many as polygamous in its propensities, 

 liut to my mind might with equal propriety be 



