88 ' Bulletin ok the 



whom we expect about the middle or last of Febuary. Negotiations are being 

 opened with Mr. Oldys, of the U. S. Biological Survey, for the purpose of 

 giving class and field work in the early spring. The Secretary will be pleased 

 to hear from those desiring to take up this work. An attempt wiil be made to 

 have the legislature give more power to the deputy game wardens, and to 

 have the Audubonists represented in the state by i deputy appointed by the 

 society, as is done in some states. It is hoped that sufficient funds will be 

 raised by Mr. Dutcher's lecture to cover the expense of issuing a report, for 

 the year. Since the last report 500 leaflets on how to organize Audubon 

 societies have been sent out in the state. Ihis was compiled by the Secretary 

 from similar leaflets. Jefferson Butler. 



NOTES FROM THE FIELD AND MUSEUM. 



ADDITIONAL RECORDS FOR THE BARN OWL IN MICHIGAN. 



The following records for the Barn Owl, Striv pratincola, show that this 

 species is not so rare in the state as we have supposed. I find in the museum 

 catalogue of the Michigan Agricultural College that a specimen was taken at 

 Lansing in October, 1869, and donated to the museum by James Satterlee. 

 This specimen disappeared from the Museum previous to 1894. Prof. 

 H. L. Clark, of Olivet, informs me that they have a mounted specimen 

 in Olivet College museum taken at that place. Another specimen was captured 

 alive in a barn in Johnstown Township, Barry County, Michigan, September 

 21, 1904. It was exhibited alive for some time in the window of an under- 

 taker's shop in Battle Creek, and then was mountq^d for Mr. Warren J. More- 

 house, of that city. A fourth specimen was killed October 2, 1904, from a duck 

 boat at the mouth of the Saginaw river, near Saginaw, by Emory Townsend, 

 and is now in his possession. I examined this specimen November 14. 



Walter B. Barrows. 



Agricultural College, Mich. 



SOME NOTES ON THE COWBIRD. 



It is now generally acknowledged among ornithologists that the Cowbird 

 (Molotlirus ater) is the means of exterminating more valuable birds than any 

 other one species. Our observations in this locality certainly verify this state- 

 ment. One incident which stands out vividly in my mind is in connection with 

 the Indigo Bunting (Passcrina cyanea). On June 2:kl, 1904, we discovered 

 an Indigo's nest well hidden away in a thick growth of red-raspberry bushes, 

 one and one-half feet above the ground. But although well hidden from the 

 eyes of man, it probably fell an easy victim to the all searching eyes of this 

 pest, as it contained one young cowbird and one young Bunting about one 

 week old. The Cowbird was nearly three times the size of the Bunting, while 

 the aperture of its mouth seemed even larger in proportion. 



Upon my approach the Cowbird opened this member of its anatomy, and, 

 by actual time, kept it opened for ten minutes, during which the Bunting 

 opened its mouth three times, keeping it opened for a few seconds each time 



