64 Bulletin of the 



of them, High Island and Garden Island, are fairly well populated. The 

 third, Hog Island, is inhabited only by indians. 



The remaining five islands are much smaller, ranging from little more 

 than a mile to considerably less than a half mile in diameter. All are sur- 

 rounded by dangerous shoals and here and there a reef lifts its threatening 

 head above the waves. Fishing, lumbering and farming, in the order named, 

 are the principal pursuits of the people, and the Beavers are noted for the 

 fine quality of their lake trout and whitefish. 



I spent nearly a week among the Beavers, arriving at St. James on 

 Friday, July 8, 1904, and leaving the group on the following Wednesday, 

 the 13th. My principal object was to ascertain the status of the colonies 

 of gulls and terns which were supposed to exist there, but I also desired to 

 compare the avifauna of these islands with that of the neighboring mainland 

 of Emmet and Charlevoix counties. 



St. James proved to be the headquarters for the summer of one division 

 of the U. S. Lake Survey and through the courtesy of the engineer in charge, 

 Mr. W. J. Graves, of Detroit, and several of his assistants, I was able to 

 ascertain without loss of time the character, size and accessibility of the 

 various islands and reefs, as well as the location of the principal nesting 

 •places of the water-birds. I am also greatly indebted to Capt. John Mc- 

 Cann, of the tug Margaret McCann, and Capt. John A. Dahlmer, of the tug 

 Knapp for transportation to and from the several islands, as well as for 

 valuable information in regard to the natural history of the group. 



The field glass was used constantly, but specimens were shot whenever 

 necessary for positive identification. In all fifty-three species were noted 

 and with the exception of two species of ducks and a single hawk, of which 

 no specimens were obtained, I saw no birds about which there was any ques- 

 tion. Very little time was spent in nest hunting, for the date made it fairly 

 certain that almost every species there was nesting. In fact I think this 

 may be assumed for every species seen, with the possible exception of the 

 White-winged Crossbill. ^ 



In the main the landbirds were the same as those of the Little Traverse 

 Bay region nearby, but there were many surprising omissions, some of which 

 can be accounted for on the ground that there was no suitable place for 

 them in the territory which I covered, and that they may — and probably did — 

 occur in more favorable spots on Big Beaver or on some of the islands 



This will not account, however, for the total absence of such species as 

 the Brown Thrasher, Chewink, Catbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Nighthawk, 

 Chimney Swift and Downy Woodpecker, no one of which was observed 

 though all are more or less common on the adjacent main land. True T 

 was told by residents that the three latter species do occur; but the Swift 

 and Nighthawk may be only migrants and the Downy Woodpecker is readily 

 confounded with the Hairy. 



The following are the species actually observed : 



{The numbers in parentheses are those of the A. O. U. Check-list.) 



