siii)i)ort many species of wildlife. The liead- 

 (Hmrteis site, fiirin areiis, \v;itei- iiiii)()Uii(linents. 

 and upland forests of the ("enter also have many 

 interestino- and vahialvle mainmals and l)ir{ls. 

 Gray scpiirrels, red and <rray foxes, racc(M)ns, 

 opossiinis, cottontail rahhits, weasels, and minks 

 are just a few of the mammals that (ind stiifahle 

 living space, liobwhite (juaii, mourning doves, 

 pileated woodpeckers, barred owJs, red-shouldeied 

 hawks, wood ducks, black ducks, Canada geese, 

 and many spe<'ies of small seed- and insect-eating 

 song birds ai-e among the birds that live the 

 year around and thrive in the Kelds, woodlands, 

 and marshes of the Center. 



A variety of migratoi-y birds stop over or pass 

 through the area in traveling l)etween northern 

 breeding and southern wintering grounds. A 

 visitor to the Centei- may see, by chance, some 

 of the native species of mammals along the roads, 

 but most of them are shv and secretive and prefer 



to avoid man. The visitor may observe resident 

 i)iT-ds more frecjuently, but many of them are 

 inconspicuous and easily missed by casual ob- 

 servation. 



The lowland forest of the Center was logged 

 in Colonial days and more recently, but one 7-acre 

 island has a \irgin stand of beech which is now 

 set aside as a natural area. Many large ti"ees of 

 otlier species also occur in the flood-plain forest 

 which e.xtends through the entire north tract of 

 the Centei'. The rich bottomland woods are a 

 gai'den of wild flowers in the spring. Kecords of 

 ])lant and animal distribution on the Center are 

 maintained foi' histoiical and reseai'ch purposes. 



The map on the opposite page shows the loca- 

 tion of the Patuxent "Wildlife Research Center 

 and the primary access roads. Oflice houi-s are 

 8 a.m. to 4 :;^)() p.m., Monday through Friday. 

 Thei-e is no public transportation to the Center. 

 Baltimore and Ohio trains and (ireyhound an<l 

 Trailways buses stop in Lauiel, almut 5 miles to 

 the noi-thwest. Highway Inises also serve nearby 

 Beltsville. Visitors arriving in the evening will 

 tind motel and eating accommodations in Laurel 

 and on CS. Highway 1 north and south of Laurel. 

 A noon meal is served at the cafeteria of the Agri- 

 cultural Research Center at Beltsville, and visi- 

 tors to tlie Patuxent Center are welcome there. 

 Arail address of the Wildlife Research Center is 

 Laurel, Md. The telephone nmnber is GRanite 

 -}-67fiO. 



Large beech frees 

 in Patuxent Center 

 bottomland. 



