Birds of Indiana. 525 



comparatively level plateau extending from the Ohio Eiver "bluffs" 

 to the northward, west of the valley of the Whitewater, and forming 

 the water shed of a number of streams, some running into the White- 

 water and some into the White Eiver. This surface soil is usually a 

 white or gray clay, characteristic of the country within 30 miles of the 

 Ohio Kiver in the southeastern corner of the State. From this one de- 

 scends until the "broken uplands" are found lying Just below the level 

 land. Still lower down the "hillsides" are reached. These rise more 

 or less abruptly from the bottom lands. The prevailing timber of this 

 region is oalc, maple, beech, sweet gum, black gum, etc., and with them 

 are found, each in its season, some birds which prefer these surround- 

 ings—Summer Redbird, Cape May Warbler, Black-throated Blue War- 

 bler, etc. East of the Whitewater Eiver to beyond the Ohio line the 

 country is more level and the soil darker and more fertile, the land 

 ranking with the best in the State. The central portion of the State is 

 comparatively level and very fertile. It was more recently settled than 

 the southeastern portion, and hence to-day there may still be seen 

 among the finest farms specimens of the largest trees to be found upon 

 Indiana soil. The northeastern part of the State has been but little 

 explored by the zoologist. Doubtless it will prove a valuable field for 

 the one who will occupy it. This is the "lake region" of Indiana. 

 Within this quarter is the meeting of two drainage systems — the Wa- 

 bash to the southwest and the St. Joseph and St. Mary's to the north- 

 east. The Wabash Eiver is the line of principal migration in Indiana. 

 As it turns to the eastward many routes leave it for the north, par- 

 ticularly just south of Lake Michigan, but many birds follow its course 

 along its length. To this fact seems to be due the peculiar distribu- 

 tion of such forms as the Prothonotary and Cerulean Warblers, and in 

 less degree the Kentucky, Worm-eating and Sycamore Warblers. 



CHANGES IN BIRD-LIFE. 



When our race first viewed this region it was a vast forest, a wilder- 

 ness, unbroken save by the water courses, the trail of the Indian, the 

 runways of the deer, the roadways of the buffalo. Our birds were only 

 such as frequented the densest woodland or the bars in the river chan- 

 nels, together with forms of wide range and birds of passage. With 

 the cutting away of the larger trees sprang up thickets, and therewith 

 came thicket-inhabiting forms. As the clearings were extended 

 meadow lands and pasture lands were reserved. To the meadows came 

 such forms as the Bay-winged Bunting, Field Sparrow, Black-throated 

 Bunting and Grasshopper Sparrow, species peculiar to such surround- 

 ings. Some parts of this land were wet and, where the drainage was 



