A List of the Birds of Massachusetts, with Annotations. 



By J. A. Allen. 



During the last ten years not less than thirty-four spe- 

 cies have been added to the avian fauna of Massachusetts. 

 A few included in the earlier lists are now currently 

 recognized as merely nominal, and a few others prove to 

 have been inserted on erroneous identifications, or on 

 unsatisfactory evidence. In view of the many additions 

 and other changes made since the publication of the 

 last general catalogue of the birds of the state, a new 

 list seems desirable. In the present attempt to supply 

 such a list I have endeavored to distinguish rigidly be- 

 tween such species as have been either actually taken, 

 or observed under circumstances that render an erroneous 

 identification almost impossible, from those of merely 

 probable occurrence. I have hence separated the species 

 below enumerated into several categories, namely: (1) 

 species authenticated as birds of the state; (2) species 

 of probable occurrence; (3) extirpated species; (4) 

 species introduced, or probably introduced, by man's 

 agency; (5) hypothetical and doubtful species. 



The thoroughly authenticated species number three 

 hundred and sixteen, besides several additional varieties. 

 Of these about one hundred and thirty-five are known to 

 breed within the limits of the state ; some of them, how- 

 ever, somewhat sparingly and irregularly, or only in the 

 more elevated portions of Berkshire County. About 

 seventy fall into the class of accidental or extremely rare 



(3) 



