132 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OK SCIENCES. 



Professor Lynds Jones in his ' ' Birds of Ohio ' ' ^ may well be fol- 

 lowed as indicatino; the mean of expression by the average student 

 of birds. 



"In a general way the term 'abundant' signifies that the species 

 to which it is applied are so numerous as to force themselves upon 

 one's notice. The English Sparrow is the only bird to which this 

 term can be applied the year through." The Robin may be con- 

 sidered abundant in summer in most localities, while the Red- 

 winged Blackbird maybe abundant in swampy districts and wholly 

 absent from other localities near by. 



"A species is regarded as 'common' when a considerable num- 

 ber of individuals may be found without much effort or expendi- 

 ture of time." The Chickadee may be regarded as common in 

 woodland throughout the year. The Catbird is common in most 

 localities in summer. 



" 'Tolerably common' is used to indicate the fact that the indi- 

 viduals of the species designated are so few that thej^ must be 

 searched for under normal conditions, and yet present in the 

 region." The Scarlet Tanager may be regarded as tolerably com- 

 mon in woodlands throughout the state. 



' ' 'Rare' ' ' is the term reserved for a species which is represented 

 by so few individuals that a record of its occurrence is regarded 

 as unusual." The Golden Eagle is generally rare in Iowa, more 

 than one or two records of its appearance in a year being unusual 

 in a given locality. 



" 'Casual' means that the species to which it is applied visits 

 the state only under unusual circumstances." Thus the Great 

 Gray Owl could not be expected to reach Iowa except during an 

 unusually severe winter when its food supply in the north failed. 

 Casual stands very close to accidental. A Red-tailed Hawk would 

 be casual in a city park, because that park lies within its range in 

 the surrounding region. A Bullock Oriole would be accidental 

 there because its home is in regions far removed. 



"In the use of any of these terms except 'casual,' account must 

 be taken of the habits of the birds. Account must also be taken 

 of the size of the birds to which the terms are applied in each 

 instance. Thus a dozen Red-tailed Hawks in a township would 



I. Ohio State Academy of Science. Special Papers, No. 6. The Birds of Ohio. A 

 Revised Catalogue, by L,yiids Jones, M. So. Oberlin College. Published by the Academy 

 of Science with the Emer.son McMillan Research Fund. October 15, 1903. 



