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grass, only to alight again beneath its waving tops. They were busily feeding,. 

 and sang no song. Up to this time there were perhaps not a dozen localities with- 

 in a hundred miles of the Ohio River, throughout its entire length, from which it 

 had been reported. Dr. F. W. Langdon had noted it in the vicinity of Cincin- 

 nati, Ohio; Dr. Rufus Haymond had found it in Franklin County, Ind.; Dr. A. 

 W. Brayton gave it from Marion County. All these records were of its spring 

 occurrence. Since then almost every spring it has been met with, in limited num- 

 bers, in the southern part of this State, but records of its occurrence in fall are 

 very few. At that time it had been found to range in summer as far north as 

 Quebec, towards the coast, and in the interior to the Saskatchewan {latitude 60°). 

 In winter it passed south beyond the United States, reaching the West Indies, 

 Central America, Galapagos Islands, and going as far south as Bolivia, Argentine 

 Republic and Paraguay. It was said to reach west, during the period of its visits 

 to our land, to Kansas and Dakota. But continued explorations have shown its 

 presence in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, also, and, more recently, Maj. 

 C. E. Bendire has ascertained its occurrence in British Columbia, thus extending 

 its range to the Pacific Coast. To the form ranging from Kansas and Dakota 

 westward the subspecific term albimicha has been given. Dr. T. M. Brewer gave 

 its breeding range from latitude 42° to 54° North ; that is to say, from the south- 

 ern boundary of Massachusetts, New York, Michigan and the latitude of Chicago 

 northward to the extent of its range. In the early days of this country's history 

 they doubtless were found in great numbers, as summer residents, in natural 

 meadows, prairies and marshy places— such open land as was suited to their needs 

 for housekeeping and for food supply — in the region indicated. They did not 

 frequent the timbered districts. The forest lines were barriers to them; but as 

 the woods of the more level region gave place to grain and then to grass, the ter- 

 ritory over which they might spend the summer extended, while, on the contrary, 

 in certain districts, where the forest growth encroached upon the prairies, the area 

 of breeding ground was correspondingly lessened. Their summer range, at least 

 in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois, has been much misunderstood. Where 

 it is found no general statement as to its distribution can be made, for it appears 

 to be quite irregular; indeed, in many localities, exceedingly local. The extent 

 of its distribution and numbers depends primarily upon the area of land suitable 

 for its occupation. The extension or restriction of the latter has a. corresponding 

 effect upon the former. 



In order that its local distribution and the effect of man's occupation upon 

 its history may be made clearer I submit the results of some investigations I have 

 been permitted to make. 



