NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



273 



coyote {Cams lalrans), mink (Mustela 

 vison letifera), otter {Lulra canadensis) , 

 wild cat {Lynx rufus), Hudsonian skunk 

 {Mephitis hudsonicus), badger {Taxidea 

 taxus), Missouri Valley mole {Scalopus 

 aquaticus viachrinoides) . 



Since the area of Minnesota under 

 discussion lies mainly within the path 

 of the great mid-continental spring and 

 fall migrations and furthermore because 

 of the great numbers of fresh water lakes 

 and streams, it is obvious that numerous 

 species and vast hordes of birds fre- 

 quented the region for longer or shorter 

 periods. To enumerate only a small 

 portion of the species which originally 

 were encountered would require too 

 much space in this brief survey and it 

 must suffice to list only such as are more 

 or less permanent or summer residents 

 of the main natural areas already out- 

 lined. Accordingly the avian fauna 

 more strictly limited to the southeast- 

 ern deciduous forest area embraced 

 the following species: Red-bellied wood- 

 pecker, field sparrow, prothonotary 

 warbler, blue-winged warbler, and Louis- 

 iana water-thrush. The egret {Hero- 

 dias egretla) and snowy egret {Egretta 

 candidissima candidissima) have both 

 been recorded from the extreme south- 

 eastern corner of the state. Among 

 species which ranged somewhat farther 

 north (up to Lat. 46°N.) are to be men- 

 tioned the king rail and the Florida 

 gallinule. 



Fishes of southeastern Minnesota; 

 mainly occurring in the Mississippi 

 River and its principal tributaries: 

 Spoonbill {Polyodon spathulata) , shovel 

 nosed sturgeon {Scaphirhynchus plato- 

 rynchus), gar pike {Lepiosteus osseus), 

 great cat fish {Ameiurus lacustris), 

 common buffalo fish {Ictichus cypri- 

 nella), carp sucker {Carpioides carpio), 

 eel {Anguilla chrysypa), hickory shad 

 {Dorosonia cepedianum) . Many other 

 species also abound in this area but 

 they range much farther northward and 

 westward. 



Of the large classes of animals the 

 Reptilia show the smallest representa- 

 tion in the Minnesota fauna. A few 



species like the garter-snake {Thamno- 

 phis s. sir talis and T. radix), the snap- 

 ping turtle {Chelydra serpentina), and 

 the painted turtle {Chrysemys marginata 

 bellii) range pretty well over the entire 

 state. The southeastern and southern 

 parts have in addition the timber rattler 

 {Crotalus horridus), bull-snake {Pituo- 

 pJiis sayi), blue racer {Coluber c. constric- 

 tor), water-snake {Natrix s. sipedon), 

 hog-nose {Heterodon contoririx), black- 

 snake {Elaphe o. obsoleta), fox-snake 

 {E. vidpina), red-bellied snake {Storeria 

 occipitomaculata) and possibly a few 

 other species. Records on the occur- 

 rence and the distribution of reptiles 

 of the state are largely wanting. 



3. Oak grove and {4) poplar savanna. 

 The latter is poorlj^ developed except 

 in the two extreme northwestern coun- 

 ties, hence the two are treated together. 

 (See map, unshaded portion.) With 

 the exception of narrow strips of timber 

 along the streams or on the north slopes 

 of protected bluffs or in the ravines 

 leading down into the main river valleys 

 all of western and southwestern Min- 

 nesota is typical prairie and steppe or 

 dry grassland. 



a. Where timber occurred it was made 

 up of the following species of trees: 

 American elm, slippery elm, bur oak, 

 Cottonwood {Populus deltoides), hack- 

 berry, ironwood, box elder {Acer ne- 

 gundo), silver maple {Acer sacchariuum) , 

 basswood, green ash and willow {Salix 

 amygdaloides) . Occurring with the trees 

 or more often along the borders of 

 thickets were found the following 

 shrubs: wild plum {Primus americana), 

 choke cherry, black haw, downy arrow- 

 wood, burning bush {Evonymus atropur- 

 pureus), red osier dogwood, June berry 

 {Amelanchier oblongi folia) , smooth rose 

 {Rosa blanda), shining willow {Salix 

 lucida), heart-leaved willow, l)uffalo 

 berry {Shepherdia argentea) and wolf- 

 berry {Symphoricarpos occidentalis) . 



Most of these trees and shrubs are 

 typically eastern and are an important 

 constituent of the deciduous forest 

 formation already described. They suc- 

 ceeded in penetrating the prairie region 



