129 

 Bird Notes From the Indiana State Forestry Reservation. 



By Chas. Piper Smith. 



During the summer of 1903 I was fortunate in 1)eing located, for 

 f:ome five weeks, upon tlie State Forestry Reservation, in the "Knob" 

 region of soutliern Indiana. Altliougli engaged in malving a survey of the 

 plant life of the Reservation, my ears were ever attentive to the bird 

 voices about me, and a list of the A'arious species heard or seen was pre- 

 served. Sixtj'-one species were noted within Reservation limits, as re- 

 corded below. No especial care was taken to study the relations of the 

 birds to the trees and their other natural surroundings; but a few general 

 remarks may be based upon a review of the bare list. 



It will be noticed that the birds enumerated include forms character- 

 istic of both woodland and open, though the number of woodland species 

 far exceeds the number of kinds loving the field, sky or orchard. The 

 absence of running water, during the summer and fall months, makes 

 impossible the conditions necessary to attract water and swamp-loving 

 forms; hence the scarcity of such in the list. Of tlH> two thousand acres 

 composing the Reservation, possibly eighteen hundred are wooded. Thus 

 it is apparent why the woodland birds exceed in number of species; and 

 it is likewise true that many of these woodland forms lead in regard to 

 number of individuals. Some four hundred feet difference in elevation 

 exists between the lowlands and the tops of the higher knobs, the deep 

 ravines between the knobs forming tempting bird haunts. 



Although not intending to give time to my favorite study, the birds 

 and all that concerns them, I was ready to give heed to Mr. Butler's sug- 

 gestion to look for the Pine Warbler, Deiulroica riyorsii, and evidence of 

 its nesting there. As far as known to us, this l)ird has not been definitely 

 reported as a breeder within our State, although there are several locali- 

 ties Avhich have conditions apparently meeting the demands of this pine- 

 loving little warbler. What evidence I was able to glean is contained in 

 the following testimony, but it is, of course, not equal to the best evi- 

 dence, namely, the collection of a nest with the eggs and the parents. 



I first saw the Reservation on the twentieth of Jidy and I Ijegan my 



9— A. OF SCIENCK, '03. 



