452 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [NoV.^ 



THE LIFE-AEEAS OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. 



BY WITMER STONE. 



As pointed out by Verrill as early as 1866, the eastern United States- 

 is divisible into four main parallel faunal and floral belts or life-zones — 

 the Canadian, Alleghanian, Carolinian and Louisianian (or Aiistro- 

 riparian). While the general trend of these belts is east and west they 

 are greatly deflected by the Appalachian mountain chain, so that in 

 eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey they run more nearly northeast 

 and southwest. 



The Canadian zone is limited to the higher parts of the mountains 

 in Pennsylvania, often mere isolated islands, present in New Jersey 

 only in the northwestern corner of the State — if at all ; the Alleghanian 

 occupies the greater part of Pennsylvania and the northern third of 

 New Jersey, while the Carolinian is restricted to the southeastern 

 and southwestern corners of Pennsylvania and central and southern 

 New Jersey. 



This would represent roughly the relative position of the three life- 

 zones in these States based upon a study of the birds and mammals, 

 though the exact boundaries are hard to trace, owing in part to the 

 gradual passage of one fauna into the other, the overlapping of the 

 ranges of certain species and the constant changes that are being 

 effected by the destruction of the forests. 



These belts may be subdivided into minor areas dependent upon 

 peculiar climatic, topographic or geologic conditions. 



The study of the distribution of the various species of terrestrial 

 vertebrates is often of little aid in defining these minor life- areas, because 

 the conditions that produce them are not sufficiently potent to act as 

 barriers to the ranges of such free-moving forms. 



Plants, however, are far more susceptible to these influences and 

 their great wealth, both of species and individuals, offers an enormous 

 amount of data to any one engaged in studying the boundaries of 

 minor life- areas. 



Consequently in the study of the life-areas of southern New Jersey,, 

 in which I have been engaged for a number of years, I have paid especial 

 attention to plants, though I have of course taken advantage of any 

 other data that were availal^le. 



