IX. THK TURDS OF ERIE AND PRESQUE ISLE, ERIE 

 COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. 



i)V ^^^ e. Clvdk Todd. 



IXIRODUCTORV No'IE. 



Soon after the writer's purpose to prepare a ('om])rehensive work on 

 the birds of Western Pennsy]\ania had assumed definite form and shape, 

 now almost ten years ago, it became evident that such a work would 

 be far from comidete should it not include the results of a special in- 

 vestigation of the avifauna of that portion of the State bordering u])on 

 Lake Erie. Not only were many species of water birds, not to be 

 found elsewhere in western Pennsylvania, rei)orted from that locality, 

 but the influence of the lake, as a factor affecting the distribution of 

 bird-life, seemed also to demand study. Hence the project was early 

 formed of sj)ending an entire season at this point, but circumstances 

 forebade the realization of the plan until the year 1900, when the 

 writer, having meanwhile become identified with the Carnegie Museum 

 of Pittsburgh, was able to carry out his long-cherished idea under the 

 auspices of that institution. As an assistant on the ex])edition there 

 was engaged Mr. ^\'illis^^'. W'orthington, of Shelter Island, New York, 

 to whose ability as a collector and observer the success of the trip was 

 in large measure due. Almost one thousand specimens were secured. 

 The exact dates of our stay were: March 21-May 31, and August 20- 

 November 20, thus covering both migration jieriods fairly well. In 

 the spring our head(|uarters w^ere rather inconveniently located in the 

 city of Erie, but in the fall they were removed to a house-boat anchored 

 in Misery Bay on the Peninsula, greatly facilitating field-work. 



In view of the many interesting records that have been accumulated 

 it has been thought best to i)ublish the results of this trip in advance 

 of the writer's general work on the birds of Western Pennsylvania, for 

 which they were originally intended, the more so as the completion of 

 the latter is apt to be delayed for some time The present i)a])er, 

 therefore, is based on the data secured in the season of 1900, but 

 also includes all other available information upon the birtls of this par- 



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