538 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
localities, and in the same locality in different years. Probably it has 
always been a resident of the state, yet Dr. Morris Gibbs states that it first 
appeared in Kalamazoo county in 1873 or 1874 and increased in numbers 
for ten years or more. He states that it was exceedingly abundant there 
in 1879, grew noticeably scarcer in the late nineties and was not seen at all 
in 1903-04. According to A. B. Covert, of Ann Arbor, it reached Washte- 
naw county in the spring of 1877, while at Petersburg, Mich., Jerome 
Trombley first mentions it in May 1891. Dr. R. H. Wolcott states that it 
was never seen at Grand Rapids until June 1899, at one locality, and afew in 
two or three localities in 1900. Nevertheless, Mr. W. E. Mulliken states 
that although he never saw the bird himself, Mr. A. B. Durfee found it 
fairly common in meadows near Grand Rapids previous to 1895. At 
Plymouth, Mich., James B. Purdy first found it in the spring of 1891, and 
took two nests, built half way up in tall clover, on June first. He states 
that they seemed to increase for a few years, but in 1904 were very scarce. 
Previous to 1896 the bird seems to have been unknown in Ingham county, 
but in that vear it hecame fairly common about the Agricultural College 
and a set of four eggs was taken from a nest in a clover field on the College 
farm, June 18, 1896, by B. O. Longyear. It continued to be fairly common 
in that vicinity until 1898, since which time few have been seen. Our 
northernmost records for the state come from Grand Rapids, and the 
southern parts of Ionia and Clinton counties. It seems therefore to be 
confined thus far to the four lower tiers of counties and to be most abundant 
in the two most southern tiers. 
The bird has a similar record in other parts of its range. Many years 
ago it was abundant in eastern Pennsylvania, and in Maryland and Virginia 
near the District of Columbia, but it seems to have disappeared completely 
from these regions. Undoubtedly the species fluctuates remarkably in 
numbers from year to year, and there are periods when it seems to be 
fairly abundant over large areas, while a few years later it may be very 
scarce or entirely wanting in the same localities. No plausible explanation 
of these variations has ever been given. The bird is far from shy, is con- 
spicuously colored, and has the habit of sitting in the same spot on the 
top of a bush, tree, fence or telephone pole, and repeating its simple song 
hundreds of times in succession. Its bright yellow breast and black throat 
patch make it very conspicuous and it is not likely to be overlooked by 
bird lovers in any region where it occurs in considerable numbers. 
Its song consists of five or six notes which are supposed to sound like the 
word ‘‘dickcissel” with the emphasis on the first syllable. It is not particu- 
larly musical, but is perfectly characteristic. 
The nest is built of grasses, weed-stalks and leaves, lined with finer 
grasses and hair, and is placed usually in rank clover or among weeds and 
coarse grasses within a foot or two of the ground. Occasionally it is built 
in a rosebush or other small shrub, but always very low. The eggs are 
commonly four, pale clear blue, without spots, and average .81 by .61 
inches. 
The food of the Black-throated Bunting has not been carefully in- 
vestigated, so far as we know, but it undoubtedly eats large quantities of 
the common insects found in meadows and shrubby pastures, including a 
liberal supply of grasshoppers. Professor Aughey examined the stomachs 
of five specimens taken in Nebraska in September 1874 and 1875, and found 
the food to consist largely of insects, from 20 to 36 in each stomach (most 
of them locusts), together with many seeds. Professor S. A. Forbes 
examined eleven specimens taken in an orchard overrun with canker-worms 
