27o Young, Birds of the Coal Regions of Pennsylvania. 



Auk 

 Oct. 



luxuriant growth of grass covers them and, as I have before stated, 

 the Bobolink and Savanna Sparrow are next door neighbors to 

 subvirgatus. Quite different are the salt marshes of Prince Edward 

 Island and of the St. Lawrence where the birds have been found. 

 There short grass, bogs and few ditches are the rule, though the 

 birds seem equally at home. They may fly considerable distances 

 when disturbed, but are more likely to dive into the grass and 

 defy all efforts to again flush them. Their flight is much steadier 

 than that of the Savanna Sparrow and lacks the jerky undulations 

 peculiar to that bird. I have already made two attempts to discribe 

 the song (Auk, IV, 1887, 239; Chapman's Birds E. N. A. 1895, 

 297), which varies little from that of candacutus and much resem- 

 bles the choking gasp of Ammodramus maritimus. 



All my efforts to secure a nest have proved unsuccessful in spite 

 of having devoted much time to the task. The difficulties of sys- 

 tematic search are many and, so far, chance has not favored me. 



In closing I may say that the study of the Sharp-tails is beset 

 with many difficulties and necessitates excursions devoted almost 

 exclusively to their pursuit. Their exasperating shyness is another 

 factor to baffle the bold observer who, regardless of mud and 

 mosquitoes, invades their stronghold ; but perseverance must win 

 in the end and it is to be hoped only a few more years will be 

 required before we are in possession of the facts now wanting to 

 complete our knowledge of these marsh-loving birds. 



SUMMER BIRDS OF THE ANTHRACITE COAL 

 REGIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



BY R. T. YOUNG. 1 



The study of the birds which breed in the anthracite coal belt 

 of Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne Counties, Pa., is one of much 

 interest to the ornithologist. 



The fauna of this region is Alleghanian with, however, traces 

 of the Carolinian fauna. Passing to the south of the Blue Mt., 



1 Read before the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club of Philadelphia. 



