June 35, 1885.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



427 



passed into the thicket to see the effect of the buckshot upon 

 the bushes. We saw rather more than we expected for 

 within about twenty feet of the wolf lay the lifeless body 

 of a fine Newfoundland dog owned by a farmer about two 

 miles away. After a brief consultation we concluded to 

 bury the animal and keep our own counsels. This was in 

 1859, and I have finally concluded to tell of it. 



Milton P. Peirce. 

 Philadelphia, June 22, 1S85. 



THE BIRDS OF MICHIGAN. 



RY DR. MORRIS CUBBB, 



(Continued. ) 

 43. Dendnmt mruUlcens (Linn.) Baird.— Black-throated 

 blue warbler. 



This species is never common in the extreme southern part 

 of the State during spring migration, but much more abund- 

 ant north of the parallel of 43°. All of the lists embracing 

 the birds of our southern counties agree in calling this spe- 

 cies a transient. Several writers consider it_ a migrant 

 throughout the lower peninsula, but this is certainly an error, 

 as the birds are. found abundantly in many parts of central 

 Michigan, and further north during summer. 



The birds arrive in Southern Michigan usually in early 

 May, as a rule, but occasionally as early as April 25, and 

 sometimes not until May 14. This season the first birds were 

 seen on May 13, but it has been a very late season. The 

 nudes appear first and are not followed by the females and 

 immatures until several days later. In fact, it is quite rare 

 to see a female during migration, and they are but seldom 

 seen even during the nesting season, on account of their 

 plain colors and quiet ways. The black-throat, although 

 active in its movements, is not a rapid migrant, and may 

 often be found in our deep heavy woods for days at a time 

 in some favored locality In migrating, the birds keep 

 pretty well among the lower limbs, and even on the ground 

 and around piles of brush in the woods. They are occasion- 

 ally found in the city but never abundantly. When the 

 birds reach their nesting haunts, however, the upper branches 

 of the tallest trees are selected, and in pineries, where they 

 principally congregate during the breeding season, it is often 

 difficult to secure specimens, owing to their distance from 

 the ground. The habit of feeding in the very tops of the 

 pines is singular when we consider that the nests are placed 

 quite near the ground. 



Upon arrival, or soon after, the birds are heard singing in 

 the woods, their presence with me being usually detected by 

 their song, which is highly characteristic and not like that 

 of any other bird of my acquaintance. The song, to the un- 

 initiated, is somewhat like the notes of the golden-winged 

 warbler, and the resemblance is often puzzling to the young 

 collector; but by a little care the two may be readily dis- 

 tinguished. The song of the black -throat, like many other 

 songs of birds, is, if not variable, certainly to be described 

 differently at various times. As an instance of the peculiar- 

 ity of either writer or bird in the varied description of song, 

 1 will give here the changes of notes as recorded during sev- 

 eral years. In 1882 I have described the song in my note- 

 book as chree-chrce chree zreeewe, again chrce-chree-c7tree chreee- 

 zrrrrreeeeee, with a strongs sound. Again, later, the notes 

 are given as scree-screee-screeeee,, and again, the last effort 

 being from observations of 1885 taken the past May, is given 

 screv-sicree'dee-dsee-dzeee. As now remembered, the last de- 

 scription appears to me more nearly correct, notwithstand- 

 ing that 1 gave careful ear to each song described previously, 

 and closely studied the descriptions of others. While sing- 

 ing, the bird is sitting quietly on a limb and sounds forth his 

 little drawling strain^very leisurely, repeating it every thirty 

 seconds or oftener as he searches among the budding foliage. 

 Later in the season, and when the nesting is in progress, the 

 birds are more often heard than seen, and a great many can 

 frequently be heard in the lofty pine, the thick cedar or 

 gloomy hemlock, when not a bird can be discovered. 



Only one nest has as yet been secured in the State, and as 

 the eggs and nesting habits are but little known generally, 

 it may be well to describe them here. While collecting in 

 company with C. W, Gunn, Esq., in Ottawa county, about 

 43° north, June 6, 1878, he discovered a nest at the edge of 

 a deep pinery which contained four fresh eggs. The nest 

 was a neat structure, and closely resembled that of the hooded 

 warbler [M. mitralus, being composed of bleached maple 

 leaves and lined with fine roots; it was p^ced in the crotch 

 of a wild raspberry bush two feet from the ground. The 

 eggs were pure white with reddish dots arranged more par- 

 ticularly at the larger end, where they formed almost a ring. 

 He secured the male bird as it left the nest, so that the 

 identity is positive. 



The black-throated blue warbler is not as yet recorded 

 from the northern peninsula, but it is undoubtedly a summer 

 resident there. It is a well-distributed species, and during 

 migration is recorded from nearly all parts of the State. 

 Sager embraced it in his list, the first published in the State 

 — 1839. It begins its southern journey in August, and be- 

 comes quite common by Sept. 10, remaining within our 

 boundaries during the month. It is not tuneful in its south- 

 ern flight, and is only detected by its call note and vivacious 

 movements. 



44. Deiidmea coronata (Linn.) Gray. — Yellow-rump 

 warbler. 



A common, well-distributed species, known to all col- 

 lectors, and embraced in lists from the extreme southern 

 boundaries to the most northern point of the upper peninsula. 

 It is one of our earliest arrivals in spring, being preceded 

 only by the long-billed water thrush some seasons, and is the 

 last member of the family to be seen in late autumn. A 

 pleasing bird with very agreeable manners and liked by all. 

 First arrival, according to my records, April 13, but I doubt 

 not it occasionally appears somewhat earlier. We may place 

 an average arrival at April 20, as it does not appear until 

 nearly the last of the month some seasons. 1 have met with 

 it in 43° 30' by April 16. It is not a summer resident in the 

 State to my knowledge, and I have yet to meet with it in 

 ■June, July and August. Covert, in his "Birds of the South- 

 ern Peninsula." does not embrace this bird as a summer resi- 

 dent, 1878, but in 1881, in his list of the "Birds of Wash- 

 tenaw County," he embraces it as a rare summer resident. 

 No other list embraces it as a summer sojourner. 



About the middle of September, often earlier, the yellow 

 rumps become abundant, and so far as my observations ex- 

 tend, are much more common in the autumn than during 

 their vernal journey. In fact, tlic birds are more common 

 during late September and October than any others of the 

 family. Occasionally individuals may be seen as late as 

 Nov. 1, but this is unusual, although I have no doubt but 

 that they remain until Dec. 1 in very mild seasons. The song 



I have never heard until this season ; it consists of the syl- 

 lable xpke uttered generally seven successive times, occa- 

 sionally only six times, again eight. The song is not viva- 

 cious aud lacks the spirit of the call note, the syllable ekent, 

 which is known to all, and recalls so many pleasant days in 

 budding woods in early May, The yellow rump is a very 

 active bird, ever on the move, aud of inestimable service as 

 an insect destroyer. 



45. Dendra'ct. maculosa (Gmel.) Baird— Black-and-yellow 

 warbler. 



Not embraced by Dr. Sager, 1839. First listed by Cabot, 

 1850, in his "Birds of Lake Superior," a list of little merit, 

 but nevertheless containing about 70 species of the northern 

 peninsula. It is found in nearly all catalogues of the State, 

 but is considered abundant by no writer of ray acquaintance. 



Usually arrives in Southern Michigan about May 12, but 

 occasionally observed by May 4, and sometimes not seen until 

 May 20. Never common so far as my observations extend, 

 and I have failed to see it more seasons than I have observed. 

 It is, in fact, as reported by several authors, an irregular 

 transient. Only one list, that of A. B. Covert, gives it as 

 summering in Michigan, and all other writers agree in call- 

 ing it a migrant. It is a silent but active bird, often appear- 

 ing in low "bushes, but more frequently well up in tamaracks 

 or other marshy tract trees. It is occasionally found in 

 cities and also in orchards in thickly settled localities where 

 forests are few. It canuot be claimed as a rapid migrant, 

 but the birds are frequently observed but a single day or 

 even afternoon in a locality. During their stay with us only 

 call notes are heard, and I have never as yet listened to their 

 song. It is rare, iudeed, to sec one after Muy 23, and I doubt 

 very much if they remain south of 44° north latitude, at 

 least trustworthy 'observations to this effect are not yet re- 

 ceived. The fall migrants reach us about Aug. 25, and re- 

 main in Southern Michigan for a fortnight. I have yet to 

 meet with a specimen after date of September 21. I know 

 nothing of their nesting habits. 



POLYANDRY VS. POLYGAMY. 



IT was about a year ago that I wrote to the Forest and 

 Stream a brief account of the conduct of two male and 

 one female Virginia quail which had been confined together 

 "for some time, and had apparently lived iu perfect harmony. 

 An interesting case of converse relations has just come 

 under my observation. 



Eary this spring I placed in an outdoor coop a trio of 

 young Virginia quail, a cock and two hens — all birds batched 

 and reared in confinement, aud the two sexes not related. It 

 has been my opinion that quail is polygamous in his nature, 

 or would be if he had opportunity, and this arrangement 

 was made for the especial purpose of giving the theory a 

 practical test. Everything moved along harmoniously till 

 about the 30th of May, one of the hens in the meantime 

 having begun to lay. 



Buton the morning named I noticed that only two of the 

 birds were visible, and supposing that the missing hen was 

 on the nest I gave the matter no attention till afternoon, 

 when on entering the coop I found her wedged in behind 

 the dust box in the comer, bruised and bleeding, with the 

 feathers half stripped from her back. When I released her 

 from her refuge and she came staggering out into the coop 

 the cock bird attacked her like a little fury that he was, re- 

 gardless of my presence, and would soon have finished her 

 entirely if I had not interfered. After a day's separation I 

 placed the discarded lien in the coop but protected by a 

 small slatted box. The cock bird paced up and down un- 

 ceasingly in front of the box, while the hen seemed as anxious 

 to get out as he was to get in. At the end of twenty- four 

 hours' confinement in the box I released the hen once "more. 

 The reconciliation was apparently complete, and the three 

 again seemed to make up a happy family. But fortunately 

 iTnad taken the precaution to arrange a retreat for the mem- 

 ber who had previously proved de trop, and in this I found 

 her late in the afternoon. Again I took her out, and again 

 I returned her, only to see the same apparent reconciliation. 

 But on the second return the male bird showed himself not 

 to be a monogamist from principle so much as for other 

 reasons, for this time he fixed his erratic heart upon the pre- 

 viously discarded spouse, and drove his former love into re- 

 tirement. This was too much for me, and I at once removed 

 the wife whom he had twice thrust off, and have left the 

 two other birds together ever since. 



It is perhaps hardly fair to assume that this is entirely con- 

 clusive. The various removals of this rejected hen estab- 

 lished that the one the cock bird had first chosen was the one 

 that had begun laying. She has continued so doing after 

 the removal of the odd female (which, by the way, was the 

 larger and finer looking of the two), and now has a nest con- 

 taining seventeen eggs. Had both hens begun laying aud 

 nested at or about the same time, would the male have'quar- 

 reled with either? I cannot say; 1 only know that iu all 

 prior relations with the male, both hens stood on the same 

 footing. 



In the case cited last spring, had no opportunities for nest- 

 ing and had not begun to lay. Had she done so, the relations 

 between the two male birds might have become very differ- 

 ent. Jay Bebe. 



Toledo, O., June 17, 1885. 



Fecundity op Colaptes Auratus.— A collector of 

 this place has thirty-five eggs which he obtained from a 

 single nest of the goiden -winged woodpecker, while another 

 collector obtained ten from the same nest, making a total of 

 forty-five eggs from a single bird in one season. I will copy 

 his notes, as it may interest your readers: "May 13, 1884, 

 found nest and obtained six eggs; to-day May 17, took 3; 

 May 23, 6; May 28, 1; June 2, 5; June' 9, 3; June 13, 4; 

 June 19, 2; June 26, 5. — Violet S. Williams (Coralville, 

 Iowa, June 14). 



The Pilot Snake or Racer,— On May 22 Mr. Chas. H. 

 Neff, of Portland, Conn., killed a racer {Coluber obsoletus) 

 which he said measured 7 feet 2 inches. I secured the spe- 

 cimen on the 24th, and after being in the sun on a bench near 

 the window in his woodhouse for two days it measured 6 

 feet 8 inches. How long does this species sometimes grow? 

 The specimen is now in the Museum of Wesleyan Univer- 

 sity at Middletown, Conn. — Jno. H. Sage (Portland, Conn . 

 June 8, 1885). 



A "Brood" op Woodpeckers.— Stewart Ogilby, the son of 

 W. S. R. Ogilby, of Staten Island, reports finding a nest of 

 the highholder {Colaptes auratus) which contained nineteen 

 young ones, alive and in good condition. This is a remark- 

 able case, although the golden-winged woodpecker is 

 notorious for the number of eggs which it may lay in a 

 season. 



The Great Woodpeckers.— I have been a resident of 

 this pari of Florida for ten years, and since being here I and 

 my two brothers have killed between twenty and twenty-five 

 specimens of the ivory-billed woodpecker (G. principalis), 

 and we occasionally see one now, though they are very rare 

 and hard to get a shot at. We killed these birds for a tax- 

 idermist in Palatka, J. H. Fry, and one in Sanford, G. B. 

 Frazar. of Mt. Auburn, Mass. I killed as many as three at 

 oue time. The natives here will tell you you can find plenty 

 of them, meaning the pileated woodpecker, or pine duck as 

 they call if. The two species look very much alike to a 

 casual observer, but to a person knowing them there is no 

 chance of confounding them. Their notes alone will dis- 

 tinguish tbem, and the ivory-bill has more white on it. The 

 female has a black head, which in the other is red as is the 

 males. I have seen a female around here for the last year, 

 but the last I saw of her was on May 4, I tried to get her 

 but failed as she was exceedingly wary. There was a friend 

 of mine collecting for the Smithsonian who was very anxious 

 to get it but we failed, and I have never seen it since. I have 

 often thought it strange that here on the St. Johus River, 

 only IfiO miles from Jacksonville, that such a rare bird 

 should have escaped the army of hunters which annually in- 

 fest that river. I suspect it is owing to the similarity to the 

 pileated. — W. A. D. (Hawkinsville, Orange county, Florida, 

 June 12). 



Devotion to its Young. — The following item shows 

 the remarkable attachment of the female Baltimore oriole 

 for its youug. While out collecting to-day I found a Balti- 

 more oriole's nest about twenty feet from the ground, the 

 female bird being on the nest. I cut a long pole with a hook 

 on the end to pull the nest within my reach. The bird sat 

 in the nest all the time, until I pulled it within reach, and 

 allowed me to lift her out of the nest. I held her in my 

 hand for about five minutes. I never heard anything like it 

 before.— H. C. Kirkpatrtck (Meadville, Pa., June 5). 



\%m* &%8 w\& 0wf* 



Addr^SS all communico-tionn to the Forext and Strecmt Publish- 

 ing Co. 



CHEYENNE TO INYAN KARA.-II. 



WE crossed the Belle Fourcke at the 70L and went 

 nearly north. We were the better part of the day 

 searching for a camping place, and found one, at last, where 

 some hunter had built himself a brush shanty and put up 

 several tons of hay. There was a little spring with a water 

 hole near by. The locality was good enough for us — espe- 

 cially the hay. A merciful man is merciful to his beast, and 

 we appropriated what we wanted of the hay and took our 

 chances. 



Tom started off the next morning after a deer. The Ger- 

 man band went in another direction. Curtis and Foucab in 

 yet another direction. The crippled Doc made a short trip 

 on his own account, while the big sailor remained in camp 

 to bake bread and putter around among the tin cups and 

 plates. Betty, Tom's clog, remained iu camp also. Betty 

 was a very beautiful animal and becomingly attired with a 

 half inch manilla rope at one end of which was securely fast- 

 ened a wagon. Betty was a perfect lady in all her actions. 

 She allowed no nonsense. You might say to her, Good 

 morning, Betty, and pat her on the head once or twice and 

 then she would be through with compliments and the like 

 for that day. The 'next twenty-four hours was business or 

 nothing. 



"What did you see, Doc?" said the sailor as the cripple 

 came stumping into camp. 



"Signs, signs, and plenty of them." 

 "Any fresh ones?" 



"Some w T ere made this morning. I think they must have 

 been made by a bunch of Scotty Miller's mares. They range 

 through here, don't they?" 



"Well, you didn't come up here hunting mares." 

 "No, but those were all the signs 1 saw excepting some 

 lOl cattle?" 



"Hark, there goes a rifle; and another, three, four, five. 

 That sounds as though it might be Tom, he went out that 

 direction." 



Then there was quiet once more. You could have heard 

 a gum drop. A half hour later Tom returned to camp for a 

 mule with which to pack in a deer. He said he had dropped 

 one deer, and then another, and also a third, which ran a 

 few rods and fell, as he supposed, dead. While bleeding the 

 second one, the first one rose and started into the woods, and 

 he could not find him nor the third one either. He took 

 Betty back with him, aud if the deer are badly crippled she 

 will come on to them. She can down the biggest of them 

 when she secures her favorite hold on the nose. Tom re- 

 .turned a couple of hours later with one white-tail buck. He 

 could not find the others. Probably the one was all he saw. 

 He thought there were three, and he never accounted for 

 the five shots we heard either, for the rest of the hunters 

 came in early, and all denied having fired a shot. After we 

 became well acquainted with Tom we knew precisely how to 

 estimate him. Moreover, he very kindly and frankly told us 

 we must not believe all he said, and we accepted his apology. 

 But the whitetail buck was a very nice one and did credit 

 to Tom's five shots. Curtis and Foucab reported nothing 

 but signs, ancient and modern. The Gorman band idem. 



While smoking our after-supper pipes we were visited by 

 a couple of professional hunters, one of whom had but one 

 arm. They were camped a couple of miles from us. They 

 were shooting for theDeadwood market, and were not meet- 

 ing with much success. They had with them a burro, which 

 packed their stores to the hunting grounds and their meat 

 to market. He was burro size, not much larger than a ten- 

 cent piece, and the color of a blacktail deer. He was a 

 knowledgeable creature, his owner said, and to be depended 

 on every time. 



Fred, one of the German representatives, to the burro 

 master: "I don'd vas vant to pe onbeidinent or any dinks 

 like dot, bud I nodice me you don'd has got bud von arm, 

 und 1 subboses a dousand men ask you vot vas dot matter mid 

 it, aind it?" 



"Well, my friend, that was a fair question, and if you 

 will promise "me not to say anything more about it, and ask 

 no more questions, I will tell you how I lost it." 



"Dot was fair, und I bro raise me to say nodings more 

 aboud him." 



"It was bit off when I was in Missouri." 

 "Dot was poody goot. You was from Missouri, hey? Ah, 

 ish dot so-o-o? You must have peen von of dose first Mis* 



