Vol. XIX 

 1902 



I Rathbun, The Land Birds of Seattle^ Wash. I 9 I 



migratory a species is, the more ' plastic ' it seems to be ; that is, 

 the more opportunity there is for the peculiarities of faunal areas 

 to become operative factors in evolution. 



A LIST OF THE LAND BIRDS OF SEATTLE, WASH- 

 INGTON, AND VICINITY. 



BY SAMUEL F. RATHBUN. 



The topography of Seattle and the surrounding country is pecul- 

 iar in many respects, and beyond doubt exerts more or less influ- 

 ence on the birds of the region, particularly in causing many of 

 them to be to a great degree locally restricted. 



The city, situated on the shore of Puget Sound, is built on a 

 series of irregular benches, generally trending north and south, 

 which attain a maximum altitude, as shown by the Govern- 

 ment survey, of 250 feet above tide water. It is bounded on the 

 east by Lake Washington, a body of fresh water some twenty-four 

 miles in length with an average width of two miles ; from this lake 

 eastward the lower foothills of the Cascade Mountains begin. 

 North of and within the city limits are two small fresh water lakes, 

 surrounded by country of a similar character, which continues in- 

 definitely northward. South of the city is a broad expanse of tide 

 flats, lying at the mouth of the Duwamish River, which are now 

 being rapidly reclaimed ; a beautiful, fertile and cultivated valley 

 extends up this river for many miles. 



Originally the rougher country was clothed with a heavy growth 

 of evergreen timber, principally firs of various kinds interspersed 

 with cedar ; many of the former attained a height of 200 to 300 feet. 

 In the bottoms and wetter portions the western maple, elm and 

 alder, with a heavy undergrowth intertwined with vines, throve 

 luxuriantly, in many places presenting an almost tropical exuber- 

 ance. As the country has become settled this growth has been 

 cleared away. The change has necessarily influenced the habits of 



