530 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.88 



The data from this material are made available here for those 

 who may be working on a list of the birds of the State or who are 

 interested in the general distribution and occurrence of birds in this 

 area. I have made no search of literature for other records, as assem- 

 bly of that information is properly the field of others. In some cases 

 I have included notes made by our field representatives where speci- 

 mens w^ere not taken. 



With previous material from West Virginia and Tennessee avail- 

 able identification of the Kentucky collection has offered no particu- 

 lar difficulties. The State is one of large extent, so that in some 

 cases there has been representation of both eastern and western forms 

 of the same species. Some southern races come in along the southern 

 border, particularly in the southwestern counties, but in the main 

 Kentucky is north of the area of intergradation of most species 

 having both northern and southern forms. Much work remains to 

 be done on the distribution of birds everywhere through the State, 

 but it is hoped that the account herewith will prove useful to those 

 engaged in such investigations. 



The work was made possible through permits issued by Major 

 James Brown, director. Division of Game and Fish, of the Depart- 

 ment of Conservation of Kentucky. We are under much obligation 

 to Major Brown for his cooperation and to the enforcement officers 

 under his direction who were universally helpful. The Department 

 of Highways of Kentucky cooperated in issuing a set of official State 

 license plates for the truck used for travel, required because of the 

 length of stay of the party. 



The expenses of the party in the field were carried by the income 

 of the W. L. Abbott Fund of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Throughout the entire period of work our men received the most 

 courteous treatment, particularly in the privilege that was given them 

 of entering private lands in order to make the necessary collections. 

 We are deeply indebted for this friendly assistance without which the 

 work would not have been possible. 



The itinerary for the work was arranged so as to visit the eastern 

 and western areas in both spring and fall, in order to get as repre- 

 sentative a collection as one season's work would permit. The field 

 party had available a small closed truck, which allowed them to 

 cover a much wider area than would otherwise have been possible. 



Field investigations began April 19, 1938, at Brandenburg in Meade 

 County, with the weather cool but clear. This region covered the level 

 bottomlands near the Ohio River and the rolling hills of the uplands 

 where there were woods of cedar and oak. Through special permission 

 investigations were made in an extensive tract of land under develop- 

 ment for a national park at Eock Haven, where there was much of inter- 



