320 



NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



out by the first settlers. They are still 

 the chief agricultural regions of the 

 State. The loam formed by deposition 

 at high water periods is 8 ft. thick in 

 many places and forms one of the most 

 fertile soils in Massachusetts. 



Waters 



Practically all of the streams are 

 unpolluted in the upper parts of their 

 courses. Lower down, most are con- 

 taminated by factories. In the moun- 

 tains they are beautifully clear and 

 generally pure, so that they are used 

 freely for drinking by campers. Besides 

 there are innumerable springs, so that 

 one is seldom far from good water. 



II. BIOTA 



Livingston and Shreve place Massa- 

 chusetts in the deciduous-forest area 

 of the United States, with the exception 

 of a narrow zone on the west, a projec- 

 tion from the north into the state just 

 west of the middle, and the northeastern 

 corner, where they find extensions of 

 the northeastern evergreen deciduous 

 transition forest. 



The deciduous forest is the usual 

 climax formation of the region, whose 

 dominant trees are species of beech, 

 maple, hemlock, chestnut, oak, ash, 

 basswood, and birch. The notable 

 shrubs are mountain laurel, witch 

 hazel, dogwood and viburnum. The 

 undergrowth is rich in spring herbs, 

 such as red trillium {Trillium erectum), 

 twisted stalk (Streptopus roseus), bell- 

 worts {Uvularia and Oakesia), and 

 bishop's cap (Mitella diphylla); in small 

 sclerophylls belonging to the Ericaceae, 

 as trailing arbutus {Epigxa repens), 

 wintergreen {GauUheria procunibens) , 

 prince's pine (Chimaphila umbellata 

 and C. maculata), and shin-leaf {Pyrola 

 spp); and in ferns and lycopodiums. 



The mountains and bogs have many 

 northern forms, and the coastal regions 

 southern ones. The balsam-fir {Abies 

 balsamea) and red spruce (Picea rubra) 

 are examples of northern forms found 

 only on the mountains, while southern 

 forms are the American holly, which 



grows on the Elizabeth Islands, the 

 tulip-tree, noted in a few places only, 

 and the flowering dogwood, common 

 everywhere. Merriam mentions the 

 same fact with reference to animals, 

 stating that "the Southern mole and 

 cottontail-rabbit meet the Northern 

 Star-nosed and Brewer's moles and 

 varying hare; and the Southern bob- 

 white, Baltimore oriole, blue bird, cat 

 bird, chewink, thrasher and wood thrush 

 live in or near the haunts of the bobolink, 

 solitary vireo and the hermit and Wil- 

 son's thrushes." 



Few virgin forests are left, but shel- 

 tered ravines may closely resemble the 

 original forest. Regions that had 

 worked up to the climax have generally 

 been cut over many times or burned at 

 intervals, so that associations that have 

 returned to pioneer conditions are 

 common, illustrated by acres of poplars 

 and gray birches. On cut-over, south- 

 facing slopes usually the oak-hickory 

 association is in evidence, while trap 

 cliffs and sand hills display a white 

 pine stage. 



The fauna of Massachusetts originally 

 included a good many Mammalia now 

 lacking, though the number still remain- 

 ing is always surprising to a visitor 

 from states more recently settled, but 

 more intensively cultivated. When Em- 

 mons^ wrote his report in 1840, the moose 

 {Alces americana), the cougar {Felis 

 couguar), and the beaver {Castor cana- 

 densis), had already disappeared. The 

 gray fox {Urocyon cinereoargenteus) , 

 the Canada lynx {Lynx canadensis), 

 the black squirrel {Sciurus carolinensis 

 leucotis), and probably the wolf {Cams 

 lysaon) were rare. The black bear 

 {Ursus americanus), formerly abundant 

 on the Hoosic Mountains, was still 

 found, several specimens being taken 

 every year, but it is now extinct. The 

 fisher {Martes pennanti), marten {Mar- 

 tes americana) , weasel {Mustela novebora- 

 censis), have all been eliminated. 



The mammals listed by Emmons that 



> Emmons, Ebenezer. A Report on the Quad- 

 rupeds of Massachusetts, published by order of the 

 Legislature, by the Commissioners on the Zoological 

 and Botanical Survey of the State. 1840. 



