120 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences^ Aris^ and Letters. 



SOME OF THE PECULARITIES OF THE FAUNA 



NEAR RACINE. 



BY P. K. HOY, M. D., RACINE. 



With few exceptions, the facts recorded in this paper were 

 obtained by personal observation within fifteen miles of Racine, 

 Wisconsin, lat 42° 49' north ; Long. 87° 40' west. This city is 

 situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan, at the extreme 

 southern point of the heavy-limbered district the base of 

 which rests on Lake Superior. At this point the great prairies 

 approach near the lake from the west. 



The mercury rises in summer from 90 to 100° Fah., while in 

 winter it sinks from 12° to 20°. The average daily temperature 

 for the four warm months, June, July August and September, 

 is within a fraction of 70° Fah. 



The isothermal line curves farther north in summer and 

 retires farther south in winter, than it does east of the great 

 lakes; which physical conditions will sufficiently explain the 

 remarkable peculiarities of its animal life the overlapping, as it 

 were, of two distinct fauna. More especially is this true of 

 birds, which are enabled to change their locality with the 

 greatest facility. ^ 



Of summer birds I will enumerate only a few of the many 

 that belong to a more southern latitude in the Atlantic states : 



Yellow-breasted Chat, Icteria Virideis. 

 Mocking Bird, Mimus Polyglottus. 

 Great Carolina Wren, Thrloihorus Virginicus. 

 Summer Red bird, Pyrangia j^stiva. 

 Carolina Parrot, Conurus CaroUnensis. 

 Whooping Crane, Grus Americana. 

 Wood Ibis, Tantalus Loculaior. 

 Royal Tern, etc.. Sterna Regia. 



