BIRDS OF THE CAMBRIDGE REGION. 6l 



list furnishes only a very few really good examples, among which may be named 

 the Briinnich's Murre, Little Auk, Leach's Petrel, and Purple Sandpiper. No 

 one of these species visits us regularly or frequently, although all of them are 

 reasonably common along the neighboring seacoast. The list also includes two 

 passerine birds which are very strictly confined to localities bordering on the 

 coast, viz., the Ipswich Sparrow, which has been taken once in the Fresh Pond 

 Marshes, and the Sharp-tailed P'"inch, which used to breed in the Cambridgeport 

 Marshes, 



FAUNAL CHANGES. 



Some of the principal changes which have taken place in the fauna of the 

 Cambridge Region during the past thirty or forty years relate to (i) Birds 

 whose local increase may be attributed to changes in local conditions ; — as the 

 Bittern, Green Heron, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Redstart and Long-billed Marsh 

 Wren. (2) Birds whose local increase is evidently due to recent local protec- 

 tion ; — as the Herring Gull, Black Duck, Whistler and Crow. (3) Birds 

 whose local decrease is apparently due chiefly, if not wholly, to changes in local 

 conditions; — as the Chimney Swift, Bobolink, Meadowlark, Barn Swallow, 

 Bank Swallow and Pine Warbler. (4) Birds whose local decrease is probably 

 due chiefly to persecution by the House Sparrows ; — as the Least Flycatcher, 

 Purple Finch, Song Sparrow, Indigo-bird, Tree Swallow, House Wren and Blue- 

 bird. (5) Birds whose decrease, and, in a few instances, total disappearance, 

 has been not only local but general throughout New England, and evidently 

 due chiefly or wholly to systematic persecution on the part of man ; — as the 

 Hooded Merganser, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Wood Duck, Wood- 

 cock, Lesser Yellow-legs, Upland Plover, Quail, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, 

 Wild Pigeon, Red-tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl. 



For convenience of further consideration certain of the birds which have 

 occurred in summer, either within or very near the Cambridge Region, may be 

 grouped as follows : — 



(i) Breeding regularly, but only sparingly and locally: Least Bittern, 

 Florida Gallinule, Alder Flycatcher, Solitary Vireo, Blackburnian Warbler, 

 Yellow-breasted Chat, Canadian Warbler, Brown Creeper, Hermit Thrush. 



(2) Breeding irregularly and rarely : Saw-whet Owl, Pine Linnet, Cardinal, 

 Mockingbird, Carolina Wren, Red-bellied Nuthatch. 



