Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Large Number of Cowbird's Eggs in an 

 Oven Bird's Nest. 



Some years ago I found an Oven Bird's nest contain- 

 ing eight Cowbird's eggs and only one of the owner. 



Thos. Mikesell. 

 Wauseon, Ohio. 



American Goshawk in Kent County. 



About December 1st, 1897, an American Goshawk 

 was taken in this vicinity by Mr. Al. Holcomb. Its 

 stomach contained portions of a Ruffed Grouse. 



W. Earle Mulliken. 

 Grand Rapids, Mich. 



Additions to the Avifauna of Kalamazoo 

 County, Michigan, 



Those collectors and observers of our birds who were 

 readers of the columns of that worthy sheet, the Ornith- 

 ologist and Oologist of 1885, will remember a list of 

 birds of Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The list filled 

 the year in its completion and occupied forty columns. 

 It was a very fair list of the birds of our county and the 

 result of the combined efforts of a number of enthusiasiic 

 observers. There were embraced in the list of 1885, 

 two hundred and thirty species of birds. Of these, sixteen 

 species have been proven to be permanent residents, 

 thirty- two species half hardy, or those which sometimes 

 remain during the winter, and twenty species which may 

 be termed winter residents, embracing both occasional 

 and quite regular species. The remaining species of the 

 list come and go in spring and autumn. 



Since the compilation of the list of 1885, we have, by 

 our combined efforts, added nine species (all migrants) 

 to the records as follows : Double crested Cormorant, 

 Phalacrocorax dilophus ( Sivain.J , three specimens 

 taken in fall, others seen. Turkey Vulture, Cathartes 

 atira (Linn.), not known here till 1887, now abundant. 

 We have seen flocks of eighteen and twenty seven. 

 Golden Eagle, Aqidla chrysaetos (Linn.). A fine 

 specimen shot by Benj. F. Syke of Kalamazoo. Yellow 

 Rail, Forzana noveboracensis (Gmel.). One specimen 

 secured in the autumn by Wm. O' Byrne of Kalamazoo. 

 Black- crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax 

 nccviiis (Bodd.J. One shot. Said to be common in 

 next county south of us. Barn Owl, Strix pratincola 

 Bonap. One shot by Benj. F. Syke, Swallow, tailed 

 Kite, Elanoides forficatus (Linn.). One of these 

 wanderers secured by Edward Arnold, of Battle Creek, 

 in the southern part of our county. Kirtland's Warbler, 

 Dendroica kirtlandi Baird. One secured by Mr, F. 

 H. Chapin, which makes the fourth for this State, 

 Orange-crowned Warbler, Helminthophila celata (Say). 

 Mr. Chapin secured one specimen. 



These birds ai-e nearly all of the rarer species of the 

 State list, and there are many which are abundant in 

 other sections which will be found here if search is care- 

 fully followed, for it is reasonable to suppose that several 

 species from the prairies ot the Southwest have entered 

 this section. In all probability the complete list of the 

 birds of this county will be found to embrace two hun- 

 dred and eighty species or more, while there is no positive 

 proof that any species is now extinct within our bound- 

 aries, although the Passenger Pigeon, Raven and Wild 

 Turkey are now but rai^ely seen. 



Morris Gibbs. 

 Kalamazoo. 



Bachmann's Sparrow in Southern 



Ohio. 



On April 2.3rd, 1897, while yet residing at South 

 Webster, Ohio, I went out with a young friend to shoot 

 a few squirrels, which had been seriously robbing the 

 fields in the neighborhood and had become a nuisance. 

 While traveling over the rough hills, deserted ore banks 

 and upland pastures, I was as usual on the look-out for 

 birds. The day was a delightful one, and rather warm 

 for an April day. Plenty of our winter visitors — above 

 all. White throated Sparrows — were still loitering in the 

 rough Southern Ohio hills, while the many spring mi- 

 grants were on their journey northward. It was especi- 

 ally a 'warbler day." Palm, Sycamore, Black and 

 White, Black throated Green, and Cerulean Warblers' 

 were all present, some represented only by one or two. 

 individuals, others by a dozen or more. Among the: 

 most numerous and conspicuous; J, were, the Myrtle War- 

 blers with their charming chant, which no words could 

 express better than the word "warble." Soon, all in- 

 tentions of hunting squirrels were forgotten in the observ- 

 ation of bird life. Proceeding on our march we passed, 

 on a hillside, an old deserted field covered with weeds. 

 Through the midst of it ran a little brook boixlered by 

 brush, weeds and a few solitary trees. The field itself 

 was boi^dered on one side by a small patch of timbef , 

 consisting of elm, hickory and black and white oaks, 

 with rank undergrowth — the winter abode of Cardinals 

 and Fox, Tree and VVhite-throatctl Sparrows. From out 

 of this undergrowth we heard a peculiar song amidst the 

 gay spring concert, but in spite of faithful watching we 

 did not succeed in catching a glimpse of the bird. We 

 went on for a lengthy stroll, and when returning after a 

 few hours, during which time we had the pleasure of 

 greeting a Lark Sparrow (quite rare in these Southern 

 Ohio hills, though on the increase in 1897) pouring forth 

 its sweet song from the top of a young persimmon, we, 

 upon again nearing this place, heard the same tones 

 once more. We were yet a considerable distance from 

 the ticket, when suddenly a little bird flew out of it into 

 the utmost top of a small tree near the little brook and 

 delivered a rich, thrilling song, which abruptly ended 

 with a few lower tones. The song was exceedingly loud 

 for the size of the bird, and as I had never heard it be- 

 fore, I listened eagerly for awhile, finally though, when 

 the bird altempted to fly, I raised the gun and fired. I 

 succeeded in getting the bird, but the rough shot tore it 

 to such an extent, that it was impossible to prepare it for 

 a specimen. The yellow edge of the wing and the pe- 

 culiar appearance of the bird in general, immediately at- 

 tracted my attention. At home I identified it as a 

 Bachmann's Sparrow. To make sure this identification 

 I kept the body and secured a fine skin of this species 

 from Mr. Chas. K, VVorthen, (June 5, 1896, 

 Charleston, S, C) Laying skin and body side by side 

 they proved to be exactly aUke. On May 6th, 1897, I 

 was at the same locality again I heard the song fre- 

 quently, but the birds would not leave the brush. With 

 the aid of a good field glass I was able to watch one pair 

 for only a short time (45 minutes) during a wait of two 

 hours, as they were exceedingly shy and approach almost 

 impossible. These were the last I have seen. Never 

 before nor after this did I see or hear them. Whither 

 they migrated or what became of them I know not ! 

 Recently I have secured a copy of Dr. Wheaton's "Birds 

 of Ohio," and found that Bachmann's Sparrow had 

 never been seen nor recorded in Ohio before this. The 

 remnants of the one I had shot, I had thrown away, not 

 knowing then the full importance of my discovery. Next 

 spring I shall make an extra trip to Sciota County (South 



