^ Central park; ^ 



^^ NEW YORK. 



THE LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO, WINTER BIRD FAUNA. 

 FOR 1897-8. 



During the winter that has just passed, a special effort was made by 

 Mr. W. L. Dawson and the writer to determine as nearly as possible the 

 actual bird fauna of the middle and north-western parts of Lorain county 

 With this end in view excursions were made into the surrounding coun- 

 try whenever opportunity offered. These excursions were seldom more 

 than hasty half-day dips into the woods and fields within a mile of Ober- 

 lin, rarely extending three miles away in any direction. 



During December only five such excursions were made, on the 3rd, 

 i8th, 28th, 30th and 31st. That of the 28th was devoted to making a 

 Bird Census of Oberlin village, that of the 31st was a trip to Lake Erie 

 and across country home. Accounts of both may be found in Bulletin 

 18, pages 5 to 9. During the month 24 species were recorded. 



Five excursions were made during January, on the 4th, 8th, 22nd, 25th 

 and 29th. One of these was across country to Chance Creek, an account 

 of which may be found on page 9 of Bulletin 18. 23 species were 

 recorded during the month. 



In February only four excursions were made, on the 5th, nth, 12th, 

 and 28th, one of these, (12th) being a repetition of that of December 

 31st. 26 species were recorded for February, only one of them, the 

 Crow, being a migrant from the south. 



These records would make it appear that the same species were re- 

 corded each month, and that therefore the species in question are at 

 least moderately plentiful the county over. But a glance at the records 

 will disabuse our minds of that fallacy, for there were but 16 species 

 common to the three months. One, Pigeon Hawk, was recorded in Jan- 

 uary and December, but not in February. 4, Am. Herring Gull, Cardi- 

 nal, Meadowlark, and Horned Lark, were recorded in December and 

 February but not in January. 2, Red-shouldered Hawk and Bald Eagle, 

 in January and February but not in December. 3 in December alone, 4 

 in January alone and 6 in February alone, one of these was a migrant, as 

 has been said. This variation in the species recorded each month is due 

 to two causes principally. First, the weather : the cold of late Decem- 

 ber driving some species south, and the influences of spring felt during 

 the warm periods of later winter, calling others forth from their hiding 

 places. And second, the difference in direction of the more extensive 



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