190 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



same proportion occurs. This state of affairs is easily accounted for, 

 wlien we consider the superior facilities possessed hy birds for moving 

 about from place to place, and their frequent exposure to storms and 

 other adverse influences while migrating. 



Eighty-three species (marked *) have been known to breed here, 

 and eighteen others (marked f ) are inferred to have done so. Owing 

 to the lack of extended swamps or marshes in this vicinity, man^' of 

 the water birds which breed in the central and northern portions of the 

 State, occur here as migrants only ; among these may be mentioned, 

 Ardea herodias, Botaurus minor., Ardetta exilis, liallus virginianus, 

 Porzana Carolina, Galliaula galeata, Fulica americana, Anas boschas, 

 Graculus dilophas var. Jioridanus, Ilydrochelidon lariformus, and 

 Podilyvibns podiceps. Other species, which have been known to 

 breed in Ohio, but not in this vicinity, are, Cistothorus stellaris, Cisto- 

 thorus iKilustris, Protonotaria citra&a^ Parula americana., Junco hye- 

 malis (breeds " abuudanth'" in "Western Reserve" — vide Kirtland, 

 1838), Bolichony.v oryzirorus, Empidonax pusillas vsiY. trailli (Colum- 

 bus, Wheaton), and Haliaetus leucocephalus. 



The " families" represented in our list number forty-six. Of these 

 the most prominent in point of numbers is the Sylvicolida' or 

 Warblers, the great insectivorous group, represented by thirty five 

 species, ten of which are of rare or occasional occurrence onl}'. Eleven 

 members of this family spend the summer with us, the remainder pass- 

 ing on to higher latitudes to breed and returning in the fall on the 

 way to their winter homes in the south. Next in numerical import- 

 ance is the Fringillidce, comprising the various species of Finches, 

 Sparrows, etc., of which we have twenty-eight species. Seven of these 

 are of fortuitous occurrence, five are constant residents, seven summer 

 residents and seven regular migrants; the other two are regular winter 

 visitants. 



The relative proportions of these two families in this locality, con- 

 flict with a general rule laid down by Dr. Coues, who says (p. 126 of 

 "Key"): " Anv one United States locality of average attractiveness to 

 birds, bas a bird fauna of over two hundred species; and if it be away 

 from the sea-coast, and consequently uninhabited by marine birds, about 

 one fourth of its species are Sylvicolidce and Fringillidce together— <Ae 

 latter somewhat in excess of the former.-'' By reference to our figures 

 above given it will be seen that here the contrary is the case, the Syl- 

 vicolidce exceeding the Fringillidoi in a ratio of five to four (35 to 28). 

 The same is partially true of the State at large, according to Dr. Whea- 

 ton's List,^ which enumerates two hundred and ninety four species, 



1 " Food of Birds as related to Agriculture," with a List of the Bird^ of Ohio, by J. M . 

 Wheaton, MJ).— W('« AaricnUtural Report, 1874. 



