40 Bulletin of the 



83. Melospiza melodia (Wils) . 



Song Sparrow. — Common summer resident. A few are resident in 

 certain favored localities, generally near the Detroit River. Arrives from 

 March 3 (1901), to as late as March 2.7 (1896). Departs mainly in late Octo- 

 ber. A few can be seen as late as November 10 (1901-1902). 



84. Melospiza lincolni (And). 



Lincoln Sparrow. — A rare transient during the migrations. J. Claire 

 Wood shot a male October 1, 1900. which is now in my collection. 



85. Melospiza georgiana (Lath) . 



Swamp Sparrow. — A fairly common migrant — a few may possibly 

 breed. J. Claire Wood saw a pair June 8, 1902, in an inland swamp, which 

 probably had a nest near by. Mr. Purdy says that it breeds at Plymouth. I 

 have found it more common in October. 



86. Passerella iliaca (Merr). 



Fox Sparrow. — Not a common migrant, and according to my experience, 

 not as abundant as it was in the 8o's. Appears from March 23 (1889) to 

 April 13 (1889). Noted in fall as late as October 13, (1889). Some seasons 

 pass and I do not see a single bird. 



87. Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linn). 



Towhee. — Common summer resident. Appears from March 16, 1894, my 

 earliest arrival, until the end of March. Departs about the 20th of October. 

 I have seen it as late as November 3 (1901). Have never observed it in 

 winter. 



88. Cardinalis cardinalis (Linn). 



Cardinal. — A rare transient visitor generally seen only in winter. I have 

 but few records of the bird here — November, 1897, December 8, 1899, January 

 26, 1901, February 22, 1902, January 1, 1903. I saw one male May 19, 1901, 

 in my yard at Detroit — the only bird noted except in winter. 



{To be continued.) 



LOCAL HERONIES. 



J. CLARE WOOD. 



Of the twelve species of herons that breed in the United States the Great 

 Blue (Arda herodias) has the most extended range, nesting colonies being 

 common from Washington to southern California, Maine to Florida. They 

 are, perhaps, more abundant along the gulf coast than elsewhere, some of the 

 colonies numbering thousands of nests. As may be supposed they are com- 

 mon throughout Michigan and nearly every county can claim at least one 

 colony. That the Great Blue Heron bred more abundantly in former years, 

 there can be no doubt, and, accepting the authority of old residents, all the 

 townships bordering the Detroit river contained colonies. The nearest to this 

 city, of which I have authentic information, was about six miles from the 



