to me by the authorities named, and left the question for 
later investigation. In many of these instances both forms 
are found in the state. 
The fauna of the different portions of the state varies 
so greatly that a list which simply names the birds found 
within our borders would be very’ unsatisfactory. For ex- 
ample to say that the Whip-poor-will and the Magpie are 
found in the state is misleading because the former is prob- 
ably not found west of the woods along the Red river, and 
the latter not east of the Missouri. To overcome this difli- 
culty with the greatest economy of space I have divided the 
state into three great sections and then specified in which of 
these each bird is found. This isdone by the figures 1, 2 or 
3 after the names. They indicate that the bird is found in 
section 1, 2 or 3 as described below. If more than one of 
these figures occur they show that the bird has been reported 
from all the sections noted. 
Section 1 embraces the Red River Valley. especially 
the wooded portions along the streams. The bird fauna of 
this region is thoroughly eastern in character, very few west- 
ern varieties being found here. The principal observers from 
whom I received data for this region are Prof, O. G. Libly 
and Mr. H. A. Shaw of Grand Forks. [also took some data 
from Dr. Elliott Coues’s Field Notes on Birds observed in 
North Dakota and Montana along the forty-ninth parallel 
during the seasons of 1873 and 1874.” These notes record 
many observations made at Pembina. 
Section 2 is all that large section of the state lying be- 
tween the Red river valley and the Coteau du Missouri, and 
including the valleys of the James, Cheyenne and Mouse 
rivers, and Devils Lake and the Turtle Mountains. This 
area is marked by the absence of sundry birds common 
enough in the woods of the Red river, and by the prevalence 
of a large number of western varieties. The bird fauna is 
intermediate between that of the Red river and that of the 
Missouri regions. Observations for this section were made 
by Mr. Alfred Eastgate of Harrisburg, N. D.. by Mr. Booth 
the taxidermist at Minot and by myself at Jamestewn and 
elsewhere. I also took some information from Dr. Coues’s 
notes mentioned under section 1. 
Section 3 is the basin of the Missouri river including 
the Little Missouri and the Bad Lands. As soon as we enter 
this section we find a marked. difference in the fauna. The 
