84 MICHIGAN SURVEY, 1908. 



3. The Tamarack and Arior Vitae Swainps {Station I, -^). 



This almost impenetrable swamp of cedar and tamarack, situated 

 at the head of Tonkin Bay, extended back about a quarter of a mile 

 toward the southwest. To cross this swamp was difficult, on account 

 of the fallen trees and numerous low branches, but a rock ridge extended 

 from the bay through the middle of the swamp, almost to its western 

 end, and furnished a convenient route into it. This ridge in- 

 fluenced the bird life of the vicinity because of its different ecological 

 conditions. It was bare in places, but most of it was partially covered 

 with birch, spruce and balsam. 



The birds seen in this swamp habitat were as follows: Nashville 

 Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Chickadee, Black-throated Green Warb- 

 ler, Eaven, Brown Creeper, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Hairy Wood- 

 pecker, Winter Wren, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Flicker and Canada 

 Jay. 



On July 11, nests of the Black-throated Green and Nashville Warblers 

 Mere found on the north slope of the ridge within twenty-five yards 

 of each other. The nests of the Black-throated Green was in a cedar tree 

 about twenty feet from the gi^ound. It was composed of grass, moss 

 and twigs and contained young. The nest of the Nashville Warbler 

 was in a cavity in a thick bed of moss which covered the face of a 

 small cliff five or six feet high. Here, in a soft nest composed of lichens 

 and lined with grass, were found five young in the down. • 



These two birds acted very differently when one was near their nest. 

 The Black-throated Green would come within less than ten feet of the 

 observer and scold while moving restlessly about among the branches. 

 The Nashville Warbler was not as bold, for it remained up in the tree 

 tops. It would hop on a branch, turn around a few times, turn anxious- 

 ly toward the nest and then repeat the performance ', but it never uttered 

 a sound. Here was one of the diflSculties in judging what localities 

 birds preferred. These two birds nested on the slope of a rock ridge and 

 fed in a cedar and tamarack swamp. To which did they belong? How- 

 ever, judging from other observations, I would say that if the natural 

 clearing had not been here the Nashville Warbler would not have been 

 found, while the Black-throated Green might have been. 



The Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue and Nashville Warb- 

 lers, Chickadee, and Eed-breasted Nuthatch were nearly ah^ays found 

 in this swamp, and these were in the more open parts where the trees 

 were not so close together. I \'isited the thickest part of the swamp 

 many times without seeing a single bird. 



^. Jack Pine Ridge {Station I, 5). 



This habitat was on the north side of Conglomerate Bay and-composed 

 a portion of the south side and the top of a hill about 100 feet high. 

 The side of the hill was dry and rocky, and was partially covered with 

 scattered aspens and clumps of jack pines {Fig. IS). Where there 

 were no trees the ground was partially covered with mosses, lichens, 

 bearberries, golden rods, etc. The top of the hill was bare rock with 

 jack pines and a few plants growing in the crevices. Occasionally there 

 was a small gullv with other trees growing in it. 



