ECOLOGY OF ISLE ROYALE, 361 



Michigan, northward to Arctic America. 



Stations: Eocli Harbor, tamarack and Arbor Vitae Swamps, I, 4; 

 Partial Clearing, II, 1. 

 Clearing along Benson Brook, II, 1. ; Tamarack and Spruce 



Swamp, II, 2, 5. 

 Siskowit Bay, Forest, V, 4. 



Washington Harbor, clearing, I, '04; Forest II, '04, III, 

 '04. 



Breeding : July 7. Adult with young. 



The Canada Jay is a common resident throughout the year, but ap- 

 peared to be less abundant at Eock Harbor than at the other localities 

 visited. It was found in nearly eveiw form of habitat, but was most 

 common about clearings and especially those where scraps could be 

 picked up from camps. In the forest they showed a decided preference 

 for coniferous trees and even when hunting for food about the camps 

 they chose the balsams rather than birch or alder. 



Breeding Notes: A female with one young Avas seen on July 7 near 

 the Light-house at Rock Harbor, and on July 25 an old bird was found 

 with two young. Occasionally both parents would be found together 

 accompanied by one or two young. 



53. Corvus coraw principalis (486a). Northern Raveb. 



Range: Northern North America, south to British Columbia, north- 

 ern Michigan, New Brunswick, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, etc. 



Stations: Eock Harbor, Tamarack and Arbor Vitae Swamps; I, 4; 

 Clearing I, 1. 

 Siskowit Bay, trail to Siskowit Lake, V, 4. A'll, '04. 

 Washing-ton Harbor, clearing, I, '04. 



Breeding: See below. 



The Northern Raven was nowhere common but seemed to occur in 

 limited numbers all over the island. Three were seen in a cedar swamp 

 (I, 4) on July 29, and a skeleton was found previous to this on the rocks 

 near the light-house (I, 1). They were occasionally seen at Siskowit 

 during August, usually flying overhead or at some natural clearing near 

 the beach. At Washington Harbor they were only visitors, coming every 

 now and then to the clearings where they fed on the grasshoppers which 

 were so abundant. They were very wary. 



Breeding Notes: Earle Kneutson of "Park Place" (IV, 5) said this 

 species nested in the vicinity. While exploring the ruins of the deserted 

 town (VII, '04) near the head of Siskowit Bay on September 10, a nest 

 of the Northern Raven Avas found in the old stamp mill. It was placed 

 in the small hollow formerly occupied by the metal plate upon which 

 the head of the stamp fell. The side walls of the stamp mill are broken 

 down in places so that the entrance to the interior was simple. The 

 nest was about four feet square and the deepest part about a foot deep, 

 and was composed of sticks varying in size from a quarter inch to three 

 quarters in diameter and a foot to three feet long. Several tail feathers 

 of the Raven were found in different layers of the nest showing that in 

 all probability the mass was the accumulation of several years of nest- 

 building and repairing. Smaller feathers were scattered about the nest 

 and floor. The lining consisted of small sticks and roots loosely laid to- 

 gether, but forming quite a compact mass in connection with the other 

 material. 



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