248 AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



OUR BIRDS IN THE SUMMER OF 1913. 



BY BROTHER ALPHONSUS, C. S. C. 



In June 191 2 there was only one record of the Bluebird against 



7 records in the same month in 1913. In July 191 2, 12 records 

 were obtained; for this month, in 19 13, the number of records 

 was 28. For August, 1912 showed 4 records and 1913, 20 records. 

 As the totals for the three months in each year, 19 12, had 17 

 records and 1913, 55, or more than three times as many records 

 for 19 13. In both years the species was most plentiful in July, 

 after the first brood was reared. The great disparity between 

 the records of the two years seems incredible in such a common 

 species, and the writer does not know what can have been the 

 cause of this great difference. 



The Meadowlark was recorded in June, 191 2, 22 times; in 

 June, 1913, 24 times; in July, 1912, 12 times; in July, 1913, 

 3 times; in August, 191 2, once; in August, 19 13, not once. In 

 July, 1 91 2, the writer was staying in St. Joseph Co., until the 

 1 7th inst. ; he then went to Van Buren Co., Mich., where no records 

 were obtained except one, on Aug. i. The character of the country 

 where the writer was living in the latter place was hilly and, there- 

 fore, not favorable for finding the Meadowlark. 



A comparison of the summer months in 191 2 and 1913 shows, 

 for the Killdeer, 3 records for June, 1912, and 6 for June, 19 13, 



8 records for July, 191 2, and 2 for July, 1913; one record for Aug., 

 191 2 and 10 for Aug. 1913. Although the writer was living both 

 years in places where water was adjacent, the Killdeer was seldom 

 found. In other summers the species was abundant, especially 

 in July. Perhaps changed conditions on the shores of the lakes 

 in the latter seasons were not favorable for feeding. 



The records of the Towhee for June, 19 12, were one; for 

 June, 1913, 2; for July, 1912, 6; for July, 1913, one; for August, 

 191 2, 3; for August, 19 1 3, none. Total records for 191 2 — 10; 

 for 19 1 3 — 3. These records show that this species is very rare 

 in places in two counties of different states. 



The few records of the Nighthawk — 9 in 191 2 and i in 19 13 — 

 show that this species may not be observed at all or very rarely 

 in the summer months out in the country. The three records for 

 July, 1 91 2 were obtained while the writer was visiting the neighbor- 



