658 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Connecticut Warbler (probably rare migrant) , Yellow-breasted Chat, Mock- 

 ingbird, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. 



SPECIES NOW EXTINCT IN THE STATE. 



The Great Auk formerly occurred as a winter visitant but it is now extinct. 

 The Wild Turkey formerly occurred in the State, probably being a permanent 

 resident. It has not been noted here for many years. The Labrador Duck 

 has been extinct for many years though formerly occurring along the coast 

 in winter. The Post Pliocene Murre is known only from fossil remains. 



FAUNAL AREAS. 



Zoogeography, or the geographical distribution of species, is a comparatively 

 new science, but nevertheless, one destined to prove of the utmost economic 

 importance to the agriculturist. Plants and animals are naturally found in 

 certain climates where the conditions of temperatiu-e and surroundings are 

 congenial to them. Some species have the power of adapting themselves to 

 circumstances and are found in many diverse climates, while others are 

 exclusively confined to certain regions over which the same conditions pre- 

 vail, and need not be looked for elsewhere. These latter are said be indig- 

 enous to a life area, and by aid of these species we are enabled to divide the 

 country into an ultimate number of life areas which are termed faunae. 

 When by study and observation of a certain plant or animal in various local- 

 ities, we have finally arrived at the conclusion that wherever we have found 

 that particular species the conditions of climate, surroundings, etc., are 

 uniform, we may then safely say, on hearing from some outside observer 

 that this same species is found in his locality, just what the climate and 

 surroundings of that locality are, without ever having seen it. Of course 

 we are always open to error due to the fact that this species may be able to 

 adapt itself to other conditions, but from a close and long-continued study of 

 certain North American plants and animals, it has been almost positively 

 demonstrated that they are exclusively confined to regions over which similar 

 conditions prevail. In some cases the primary life areas are characterized 

 by the prevalence over them of entire families or genera, while in the case 

 of the minor or faunal areas the prevalence of certain species or subspecies 

 and, equally important, the absence of others characteristic of other areas, 

 are links in the chain of evidence by which we are enabled to map the limits 

 of these divisions. 



The change from one area to another is not at all abrupt, but instead as 

 we near their common boundary we find species common to both occurring 



