[Fkom the Transactions op the Connecticut Academy, Vol. TY, 1877 



A Review op the Birds of Connecticut, with Remarks 1 *^? 

 their Habits. By C. Hart Merriam. 



Read June 20, 1877. 



The little State of Connecticut, forming, as it does, the southwest- 

 ern corner of New England, and lying between the forty-first and 

 forty-second parallels (exactly 41° to 42° 3' N.), and extending, in an 

 east and west direction, from the meridian 71° 55' to 73° 50' west lon- 

 gitude, contains an area of but 4,674 square miles. Nevertheless it is 

 highly probable, so favorably is it situated, that no equal area in the 

 country can boast a greater number of species of birds than may be 

 found within its limits. Indeed, nearly half the total number of 

 species in the United States have already been detected inside its 

 borders, and it is certain that future investigation will decidedly 

 increase this number. 



Zoologically speaking, Connecticut belongs to that division of 

 country known as the AHeghanian Fauna. Still, as Mr. Purdie has 

 said,* its southern border has an evident tinge of the Carolinian, and 

 I may add that this "tinge" runs up the valley of the Connecticut 

 River, extending completely through the State, and even into Massa- 

 chusetts. 



Some years ago Prof. A. E. Verrill stated that whenever such 

 birds as the Crossbills, the Spruce Partridge and the Canada Jay 

 "breed abundantly in any region, it may safely be considered as 

 belonging to the Canadian Fauna. "f With equal truth it may be 

 said that whenever such birds as the Worm-eating, Blue-winged Yel- 

 low, and Hooded Warblers, together with the Large-billed Water 

 Thrush and Yellow breasted Chat, breed regularly and in considerable 

 numbers, the region may safely be included in the Carolinian Fauna. 

 That these species are so found in southern Connecticut — notably 

 about the mouth of the Connecticut River — is now too well known 

 to need further confirmation. 



The dividing lines between the several fauna? are always more or 

 less irregular, and never very sharply defined. The distribution 



* Am. Nat, vol. vii, No. 11, p. 693, Nov., 1873. 

 f Proceed. Essex Inst., vol. iii, p. 138. 1863. 

 Trans. Conn. Acad., Yol. IY. 1 July, 1877. 



