ECOLOGY OF ISLE ROYALE. 347 



15. Oxi/echiis vociferiis (273). Killdeer. 



. Range: Temperate North America, breeding north to Newfoundland 

 and Manitoba, migrating to the West Indies and Central America and 

 northern South America. 



Stations : Rock Harbor region, II, 2. A'^'ashington Harbor, I '04. 



^Migration : Juily 13 to August .5. 



Only one of these birds was seen at the northern end of the island; 

 this was on July 13 when one was seen flying over the tamarack swamp 

 (II, 2). No others were found until August 5 when a flock of three 

 were seen feeding on the grassy slope of the first clearing (I, '04). 



16. Pediocaetes pliasiancUus campcstris (30Sb). Prairie Sharp-tailed 

 Grouse. 



Range: Plains and prairies of the. United States east of the Rocky 

 Mountains; north to Manitoba; east to "Wisconsin and Illinois; south 

 to New Mexico. 



Stations : Partial clearings along Benson Brook, II, 1. 

 Old Burning, V, 9. 

 Old clearing and burning at end of Siskowit Bay, VII '04. 



Breeding: July 25, female with young. 



The Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse was found at Rock Harbor and 

 Siskowit Bay by our party and was reported at Washington Harbor 

 by the residents who called it a pheasant. At the latter place during the 

 fall of 1904, I observed what I still think was a young of this species, 

 but as it was not procured, the record for this part of the island must 

 depend almost entirely u.pon the reports of the keepers of the club- 

 house and the fishermen. It was nowhere very abundant, but probably 

 occurred much more plentifully than our observations would tend to 

 indicate, as those parts which seem to be favorable for its home were 

 the least worked by our party. 



Breeding Notes: On July 25 a female accompanied by three young, 

 about half grown, was found in a clearing on a small rock ridge near 

 Benson Brook (II, 1). Mr. Kneutson of Park Place reported July 

 20, that the grouse nested regularly at his clearing (IV, 5) and that 

 several broods of young had recently been seen there. He also said 

 that during the previous fall he had found them very plentiful and 

 tame at the clearing at McCargoe Cove (II, 4). The Malone boys at 

 Menagerie Light-House reported these birds to be quite common breeders 

 at the clearing when the old town stood near the head of Siskowit Bay. 



Miscellaneous Notes: A Myrtle Warbler's nest was found July 7 

 near the head of Tonkin Bay (IV, 7), lined with feathers of the Sharp- 

 tailed Grouse and Canada Jay. An adult bird was secured August 5 

 in a burnt clearing near the outlet of Siskowit Lake (V, 9). The crop 

 contained fifteen fresh June-berries and three grasshoppers. On August 

 13, three adults were seen in the large clearing near the head of Sis- 

 kowit Bay (VIII, '04). This was once a prosperous mining town but 

 has been deserted since about 1879. A forest fire swept away nearly 

 all the buildings, and since that time a second growth of birch, alder 

 and low brush has covered a large part of it. But many acres are 

 still bare or overgrown with long grass, principally timothy. It was in 

 this clearing that the birds found the most favorable conditions, and 

 were therefore more abundant here than at the other stations. An adult 



