NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



381 



In the northern part of the southern 

 peninsula some of these more southern 

 species overlap the ranges of the more 

 northern forms and in this section we 

 maj^ find, for instance, both forms of the 

 flying squirrel and both forms of the 

 forest deer-mouse. 



In the pine forests of the sand plains 

 of the central part of this peninsula, 

 and probably in the sand plains of the 

 northern peninsula, there was originally 

 probably a considerable congregation of 

 animals specially adapted for this situa- 

 tion, such as the marten, fisher, red 

 squirrel, and Virginia deer. 



Along the southern border of Michi- 

 gan, and extending a short distance into 

 the state, a considerable number of still 

 more southerly and prairie forms occur, 

 along with most of the forms living in 

 the central part of the peninsula. Some 

 noteworthy mammals in this section are 

 the opossum {Didelphis virginiana), 

 small shrew- (Cryptotis parva), prairie 

 mole (Scalopus aqualicus machrinus), 

 large brown bat [Eptesicus fuscus), 

 red bat (Nycteris borealis), prairie vole, 

 {Microtus ochrogaster) , northern pine 

 vole {Microtus pinetorum scalopsoides) , 

 southern woodchuck {Marmota monax 

 monax), striped ground-squirrel {Citel- 

 lus tridecemlineatus) , fox squirrel [Sciu- 

 rus niger rujlventer), cottontail rabbit 

 (Sylvilagus Jloridanus mearnsii), and 

 bison {Bison bison). The beach mouse 

 {Peromyscus maniculatus hairdii) is 

 common along the open beaches of the 

 larger lake, and in the open fields of the 

 southern part of the state. The bison is 

 now extinct, and with the clearing of 

 the forests the prairie mole, ground 

 squirrel, fox squirrel, and cottontail 

 rabbit have spread northward, some of 

 them reaching the Straits of Mackinac. 



It is in the southern part of Michigan 

 that the native mammal fauna has been 

 most modified by civilization, and many 

 species have been exterminated there, 

 such as the deer, bear, and porcupine, 

 which still live in more northern parts 

 of the state; while others, such as the 

 gray squirrel, are much reduced in 

 numbers. On the contrary, numerous 



species feeding on cultivated crops or 

 living in open fields or brush have be- 

 come more numerous than ever before, 

 even becoming pests. 'I'hc Norway rat 

 {Raltus norvegicus) and the house mouse 

 {Mus muscuhis) have l)cen introduced 

 and are very abundant around houses 

 and even invade the fields. 



2. Birds (L. J.) 



The breeding Inrds of the swampy and 

 marshy areas are the same as those of 

 Ohio, with the addition of loon, Bona- 

 parte gull, Caspian tern, Forster's 

 tern, Canada goose, Wilson's snipe, 

 alder flycatcher. 



Birds breeding along the lake shore 

 on the sand and on islands: The same 

 as those of Ohio and the herring gull. 



Birds breeding on the original prairie 

 and in other grassy places: The same as 

 those of Ohio, and Wilson's phalarope, 

 sharp-tailed grouse, short-eared owl, 

 lesser scaup duck, pintail (rarely). 



Birds breeding in the deciduous woods: 

 The same as those of Ohio, except sum- 

 mer tanager, and in addition merganser, 

 red-breasted merganser, hooded mer- 

 ganser, black-crowned night heron. 



Birds breeding in brushy tangles, 

 flood plains etc.: The same as those of 

 Ohio. 



Birds breeding in the evergreen for- 

 ests: Spruce grouse, ruffed grouse, pas- 

 senger pigeon, wild turkey, mourning 

 dove, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's 

 hawk, goshawk, red-tailed hawk, red- 

 shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, 

 bald eagle, duck hawk, pigeon hawk, 

 sparrow hawk, osprey, barred owl, saw- 

 whet owl, screech owl, great horned 

 owl, yellow-billed cuckoo, black-billed 

 cuckoo, hairy woodpecker, downy wood- 

 pecker, arctic three-toed woodpecker, 

 yellow-bellied sajjsucker, northern pile- 

 ated woodpecker, red-headed wood- 

 pecker, northern flicker, whippoorwill, 

 nighthawk, chinuiey swift, ruby- 

 throated hummingbird, kingbird, 

 crested flycatcher, phoebe, olive-sided 

 flycatcher, wood pewcc, least flycatcher, 

 blue jay, crow, bronzed grackle, pvirple 

 finch, red crossbill, goldfinch, pine 



