Michigan Ornithological Club 83 



feet, at about two miles in the interior. The entire region is inhabited only 

 by scattered trappers, and the forests are practically in their original condition. 

 The few trails in the region make traveling very difficult, and all baggage had 

 to be carried as packs. 



In this connection it is of interest to know how the field party worked. 

 Camp was made at an abandoned mine, where a large substantial shack 

 furnished excellent field quarters, not only as a shelter, but also as a place in 

 which to prepare and preserve collections. The field work was carried on 

 through a detailed study of selected localities. After a preliminary examina- 

 tion of the region, Mr. Ruthven selected a series of representative habitats 

 beginning at the lake and extending southward across the mountains. The 

 various members of the party then visited these stations, where they made 

 observations and collections. In this way not only were specimens collected 

 but the conditions under which they were found was thus definitely recorded. 



From the Porcupines (August 13) the party went to Isle Royale, about 

 60 miles northwest of Houghton, where they made a hasty examination of 

 the lower end of the island. The party remained here until September 5th. 

 The lateness of the season furnished an excellent opportunity to make obser- 

 vations on the fall migration of the birds, and these notes are of peculiar 

 interest on account of the island location. The loWer end of the Isle is 

 densely covered by a growth of the original forest of balsam-fir- and spruce. 

 During the winter this region is only inhabited by a few trappers and fisher- 

 men. 



A brief statement of the results of the expedition w'ill be of interest. 

 A detailed report on the observations and collections is now in process 

 of preparation, so that at this time it will only be necessary to call attention 

 to some of the general results. No effort was made to make a complete col- 

 lection of the animal and plant life in general, but special attention was given 

 to the trees and shrubs, molluscs, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mam- 

 mals. This is apparently a long list, but it must be remembered that so far to 

 the north the variety of fish, reptiles and amphibians is quite limited, so that 

 atention was mainly devoted to the trees and shrubs, molkises, birds and 

 mammals. About 90 species of birds were observed in the Porcupines, and 

 about 80 at Isle Royale. Of the birds recorded several are now breeding 

 records for Michigan, and two appear to be for the United States. About 20 

 species of manuals were collected, and notes were secured on about the 

 same number which were not collected. 



In addition to the value of the records of occurrence an important result 

 is the observations on the ecological relations f the animals — in other words, 

 the relation of the animals to their surroundings. This is a phase of such 

 work which generally receives but little attention because only a relatively 

 small number of students are interested in it. * 



The limited time devoted to this survey made it necessarily of a pre- 

 liminary nature, and yet it was of a kind needed ui many parts of Michigan. 

 It is to be regretted that more time could not be spent on Isle Royale, but it 

 is hoped that during another season this work may be continued. 



University Museum, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 



