THE OOLOGIST'S EXCHANGE. 



VOL. II. 



NEW YORK, APRIL, 1889. 



No. 1. 



Birds of Michigan. 



BY SCOLOPAX. 



The Winter Wren. Anorlhura Troglo- 

 dytes hyemalis(Vieill) Coues. — A common 

 species with us in many parts of the 

 State for six or seven months of the 

 year. It is recorded from all quarters 

 in the State ; from the most northern 

 point, by Superior's chilling waters, to 

 the southern borders, and I think it 

 safe to say that it summers in every 

 country within our boundaries, unless 

 it be in the southern tier. It is abun- 

 dant in summer north of 44 degrees 

 north latitude, and common south as 

 far as 43 degrees. 



The writer, after the most diligent 

 searches, has been unable to find a 

 nest, even when once where a parent 

 bird appeared, carrying a bit of mossy 

 material in its bill, a delicate spray uf 

 some soft substance for a nest in the 

 immediate neighborhood. One author- 

 ity gives this cheering species as winter- 

 ing in Michigan in mild winters, but 

 as yet in localities that I have visited, 

 the winter wren was not found in Jan- 

 uary, February or December, although 

 I have evidence that it may appear in 

 advanced seasons in February. Here 

 at 42 degrees 20 minutes north latitude, 

 my usual home, Kalamazoo, this species 

 is transient, few if any birds remaining 

 during summer, but in spring and 

 autumn the birds are often not rare 

 during migrations. 



The winter wren delights in secluded 

 places in the deepest forests, and 

 rarely if ever selects sparsely timbered 

 tracts. That the birds must, from 

 necessity, pass over large tracts of 

 cleared land is patent, but the sly mid- 

 get is so cunning in its movements dur- 

 ing migration that it is rarely that an 

 individual is detected crossing a clear- 

 ing. It is probable too, that these little 

 brown fellows pass over dangerous 

 places during the hours of darkness, 

 when so many birds sweep along. I 

 have seen this species out of the woods 

 but once in my experience, and the de- 

 vices resorted to in order to elude my 

 vigilance on that occasion were very 



amusing. The bird fluttered along the 

 ground, dodging between the tussocks 

 of grass, and securing temporary hiding 

 jalaces behind the leaves of burrdock 

 and small bushes. It finally reached a 

 fence, among the rails of which it played 

 peek-a-boo in an animated manner for a 

 few lengths, when it utterly disajDpeared, 

 having undoubtedly crept into a hollow 

 rail or secreted itself beneath one of 

 the bottom rails next the ground. In 

 such a situation it is impossible to dis- 

 lodge it, and only by the removal of 

 the covering is it possible to find the 

 hiding bird. In the woods, collectors 

 are often bothered about securing a 

 specimen, the active little singers keep- 

 ing well out of sight, and only after the 

 most patient waiting can a bird be se- 

 cured. Thrashing around in the brush 

 and shooting off the gun has not the 

 slightest effect in scaring the wary hider 

 from its retreat. It is extremely timid 

 and very suspicious, and is the most re- 

 tired bird that I know of. A winter 

 wren would exist a century in our best 

 known woods so far as the observations 

 of the average stroller were concerned, 

 were it not for its song. He, however, 

 must and does sing on all occasions 

 when found in his summer haunts, and 

 it is as impossible to quiet him as it is 

 his more audacious cousin, the house 

 wren. 



The song is very beautiful indeed, 

 and is as thrilling in its inspiration as 

 that of any bird of ours. In inflection 

 and versatility it may be compared to 

 the vivacious song of the Ruby-crowned 

 Kinglet, but is not quite so softly mod- 

 ulated, and is much longer and louder. 

 The birds do not sing with their usual 

 vigor when first arrived, but keep rather 

 quiet until the warmer days have come, 

 only uttering a few faint call chirps and 

 gutteral rattles while flitting about in 

 the brush. As soon as the warm days 

 of April appear our friend goes into 

 ecstacies and shows his appreciation of 

 the fine weather by his most extravagant 

 efforts at song. This species rarely con- 

 sorts with other birds, and gives evi- 

 dence of his independence in living by 

 himself. It may be said that he would 



