Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club. 



27 



Migration Reports for 1896. 



Those whose reports were received during 1896 by 

 the Committee on Bird Migration are : N. A. Wood, 

 T. L. Hankinson, L. C. Read, Jr., H. F. Jones, C 

 V. Hay, L. J. Cole, A. W. Van Pelt, Percy Selous, 

 B. O. Longyear, L. B. Hunt, J. B. Purdy, C. M. 

 Ayres, M. B. Mills, E. O. Kelsey, Morris Gibbs, W. 

 J. Stoddard, A. H. Stockman, D. J. Douglass, Frank 

 Allis, S. W. Harris, O. L. Ayres, Gottleib Bessmer, 

 L. W. Watkins, W. E. Mulliken, Lynds Jones, G. 

 H. Walker, H. V. Ogden, H. B. Haskell, W. P. 

 Melville, R. J. Coryell, R. W. Hegner, W. E. 

 Saunders, F. M. Comstock, J. B. Lewis, E. L. 

 Mosely, J. C. Callaway, W. F. Henninger, J. M. 

 Keck, G. W. Cunn, George Harbron, W. H. McNain, 

 A. L. Treadwell, T. E. Haughey, E. F. Cranz. L. B. 

 Gilmore, Thos. Mikesell, J. W. Suliot, A. W. 

 Butler. Alexander Gow, G. A. MacCallum, G. R. 

 Prescott, J. W. C. Johnson. 



While from the great number of schedule blanks 

 sent out in behalf of this work this is not a very 

 large list of reporters, there is very good excuse in 

 the fact that the committee were very much hindered 

 in getting schedules to the various reporters in time 

 to admit of the best work. The work was a new one 

 to most of our observers and many were not located 

 at all by those in charge. We hope and trust that 

 every one of those schedules will be returned next 

 July, together with the great number sent out by the 

 committee this year. If any are overlooked, kindly 

 inform us at once and it will give us pleasure to 

 rectify the oversight. 



A few interesting items, which will appear from 

 time to time in this journal, may be of interest until 

 a more comprehensive report can be made out. 



1st. The Bluebirds, which were exceedingly rare 

 in the spring of '96, increased wonderfully during 

 the summer of that year and departed in some num- 

 bers. The probable cause of the great loss in their 

 numbers, seemed to be thought, by the majority of 

 ornithologists, to be from the extreme cold wave 

 which penetrated even into Florida and to the Gulf 

 of Mexico, destroying orange trees and various trop- 

 ical plants where frost had scarcely, if ever, been 

 known before. This caused, from starvation and 

 exposure, the death of thousands upon thousands of 

 individuals of our insectivorous species. Perhaps 

 one reason why the Bluebirds suffered more than did 

 the Swallows, etc. (which, by the way, were also 

 greatly thinned in numbers) lay in the fact that the 

 former care little for cold weather, if they can pro- 

 cure food, and they carelessly allowed themselves 

 to be caught with no southern line of warmth to 

 which to escape in time for food, while, at the first 

 approach of cold, the less hardy species "flew." 

 Bluebirds, we are glad to report, are in goodly num- 

 bers this spring. 



2nd. Henslow's Sparrow is by no means so rare a 

 species as supposed, but is scattered in small colonies 

 sparsely over at least the three lower tiers of counties 

 in Michigan. Look for them in the wild, open 

 marshes. 



3rd. The Black-throated Bunting is surely be- 

 coming more and more common as this State 

 approaches in surface conditions more nearly to their 

 former prairie habitat and they are four counties 

 up from the southern line of the State now, perhaps 

 farther. Look out for them this season. 



4th. The Prairie Chickens and Wild Pigeons are 

 still to be found in Michigan and are increasing in 

 numbers, slowly 'tis true, but surely. Try to pro- 

 tect them if the opportunity offers. 



5th. Robins, Meadowlarks, Red-headed Wood- 

 peckers, Song Sparrows and Cardinal Grosbeaks 

 were found in Michigan during the last winter — the 

 three first all winter. What other species? 



6th. The Turkey Vulture is becoming more 

 common each year in our State When do they 

 come? Where do they stay? Do they breed? You 

 probably are not sure that they do or do not nest 

 near your station, except that you know that nests 

 have been found in Lenawee and Allegan Counties. 

 See if you can find one. It would be a splendid 

 record. 



Just enter into this work as a Club and what 

 interesting notes we will have at our annual meeting 

 in Lansing next December! 



L WHITNEY WATKINS, Chairman. 

 W. EARLE MULLIKEN, 

 CHASE S. OSBORN, 

 MARK B. MILLS. 

 THOS. L. HANKINSON, 



Committee on Bird Migration, 



Michigan Ornithological Club. 



Dr. Wolcott has kindly remembered the Editor-in- 

 Chief with a copy of "'Nebraska Birds," and Mr. 

 Hankinson with a photograph of the specimen of 

 Brunnick's Murre, which was presented to the 

 Agricultural College by Mr. Percy Selous of Green- 

 ville. 



Mr. Hankinson writes from the Agricultural 

 College, "I spent Saturday (May 15) in Chandler's 

 Marsh. I found two sets of Marsh Hawk, one of six 

 and an incomplete set of three My best finds were 

 a nest of the Coot and of the Prairie Chicken, each 

 containing an egg. ' ' 



Dr. Gibbs sends us word that Mr. E. Arnold of 

 Battle Creek, took 2-2 Bald Eagle this spring, one 

 set being taken from a deaa tree. 



Messrs. Mulliken and Cole spent April 23-4 at 

 Ottawa Beach. A male Belted Piping Plover was 

 taken a short distance from where a female was se- 

 cured last year. Has anyone another record of the 

 occurrence of this sub-species in our State? 



Has anyone a record of the occurrence of Uria 

 troile in the State? 



The Editor-in Chief spent a pleasant day with Mr. 

 Hankinson at the Agricultural College recently. 



From W, E. Mulliken, Grand Rapids: 'When I 

 found a Red-eyed Vireo's nest contain four Co wbird's 

 eggs I thought I had reached the limit, but the other 

 day I found a Towhee's nest containing nine eggs, 

 two of their own and seven Cowbird's. " 



Have you any duplicate sets or skins you would 

 like to donate to the Club collections? 



The "Birds of Colorado," by W. W. Cooke, comes 

 to hand just as we go to press. It, in company with 

 several other new books, will receive mention in 

 our next issue. 



