492 J - A - ALLEN ON BIRDS 



loving species, and a corresponding scarcity of those whose favorite haunts are the forest. 

 In its western part there are still considerable tracts quite primitive in character, while in 

 no portion of the western half has man greatly modified its fauna and flora. A change 

 however, has commenced; and, with these broad prairies, almost inexhaustible in fertility, 

 inviting the industry of the East, twenty years, judging from the rapidity of the transfor- 

 mation now in progress in the eastern part of the State, and which has already swept over 

 Northern Illinois, will see these virgin tracts converted into cultivated farms, with orchards, 

 clumps of sheltering trees, and wind-breaking hedges; the wild weeds and grasses sup- 

 planted by cultivated and intruding species, with hardly less positive changes in the animals. 

 At present, as the really characteristic birds of the region, we would enumerate the Horned 

 Lark (Ercmophih alpestris = E. cornida Boie), the Lark Finch ( C/iondestes grammaca Bon.), the 

 Meadow Lark (Sturnella magna Sw. 1 ), the Yellow-winged, Savannah, and Black-throated Spar- 

 rows (Colurmculus passerinus Bon., Passerculus savanna Bon., Easpiza americana Bon.), the 

 Prairie Hen (Cupidonia eupido Baird), and, in a less degree, the Sand-hill Crane, (Grus cana- 

 densis Temm.), and Field Plover (Actiturus Bartramius Bon.) Also, as characteristic features, 

 the scarcity of the Bobin (Tardus migratorius L), the Blue Bird (Sialia sialis Bd.), the Barn 

 Swallow (Hirundo horreorum Bart), Chipping and Song Sparrows (Spizetla socialis Bon., Melr 

 ospiza melodia Bd.), other Sparrows and the common Crow (Corvns americanus Aud.) 



In explanation of the following list I may add that Boonesboro, in Boone Co., near the 

 centre of the State, where I spent from July 3d to July 12th, was my first point of observa- 

 tion. Here six days were passed entirely in the broad timber belt which skirts the Des 

 Moines River, in the deep, heavily wooded and deeply shaded ravine formed by Pole Cat 

 Creek, which gave me early in the season a favorable opportunity to become somewhat 

 familiar with the forest haunting species. July 13th I passed on nearly a hundred miles 

 westward to Denison, on the Boyer River, and distant from the Missouri, in a direct line, 

 but little more than thirty miles. Here my field of observation embraced both timber and 

 prairie, and during the week passed in it I became quite familiar with the species of the 

 prairie. July 20th I joined my friend Mr. 0. H. St. John, who was prosecuting the geo- 

 logical survey of the State, and with him, during the following two months, traversed 

 seven counties (Crawford, Sac, Greene, Dallas, Guthrie, Audubon, and Caroll), crossing 

 several of them repeatedly and in different directions. Camping wherever night found us, 

 and spending considerable time in the narrow belts of timber bordering the three Coon 

 Rivers (North, Middle, and South), as well as on the prairies, my opportunities for observa- 

 tion could scarcely have been more favorable. 2 



with an eye to the feathered tribes, will serve to illustrate the almost for hours together, numbers of species would be con- 

 scarcity of bird-life in the forest. After expressing my sur- stantly heard, and many times each day would considerable 

 prise at the scarcity of birds seen under the most favorable parties of Warblers, Vireos, Titmice, Nuthatches, Wood- 

 circumstances, I add : " Two or three species of Woodpeckers, peckers, and other species, varied but harmonious companies, 

 (only the Red Head, Melanerpes erythrocephalus, at all com- have passed our camp." About twenty species were actually 

 mon), a few Blue Jays and two or three Wood Pewees {Con- noted during these three days, but only about half a dozen 

 topus virens), a few families of Chickadees, {Pants alri- could be considered common, while nearly half were seen but 

 capillus), two Robins, as many Baltimores (Icterus Baltimore), once or twice. On the wild prairies I often noted a similar 

 and a very few Warbling Vireos, a few Cedar Birds, King scarcity — long rides with hardly a bird to notice to relieve 

 Birds, Yellow Birds, (Chrysomitris trislis), Swallow-tailed the tedium; and generally their feathered inhabitants were 

 Hawks, and Turkey Buzzards flying over, and a Kingfisher and mainly of less than half a dozen species, 

 two species of Sandpipers along the river, comprise all either l See remarks on this species beyond. 



Been or heard. This is in marked contrast with similar situa- 2 For this I cannot too fully express the obligations I am 



tions at this season in New England, where, instead of silence under to Dr. C. A. White, Director of the Iowa State Geo- 



