Vol iS*6 m ] Baily, Birds of Northern Elk County, Pa. 29 1 



few hundred feet beyond is Williamsville, about 550 feet lower in 

 altitude and at the junction of Five and Seven Mile Runs, tribu- 

 taries of the east branch of the Clarion River. I covered most 

 of the high ground for a mile or two around the house, and made 

 numerous trips on Five and Seven Mile Runs, on the east branch 

 of the Clarion into McKean County, up Straight Creek four miles 

 to the southeast, and on Rocky Run, a feeder of the west branch 

 of the Clarion, five miles to the southwest, not far from Wilcox. 

 At least two-thirds of the high ground was cleared and largely 

 cultivated, just the place for Larks, Savanna, and Grass Finches. 

 The Catbird, Indigo Bunting, Chewink, Chestnut-sided Warbler, 

 and their friends occupy the brush and raspberry patches on the 

 edge of the woods ; and the Kingbirds, Goldfinches, and Cedarbirds 

 abound in the apple orchards, which are adjuncts of every farm. 



Most of the streams rising on high ground descend gradually 

 into sheltered wooded ravines, Straight Creek being especially 

 darkened by tall hemlocks, beech and maples, making it one of 

 the coldest and most beautiful streams in the neighborhood. Here 

 the Winter Wren, Solitary Vireo, Blackburnian and Canada War- 

 blers, Water Thrush, Hermit Thrush and other typical Canadian 

 species were most numerous. 



But one swamp was met with, at about 2,000 feet; there the 

 Red-wings, Woodcocks, and Song Sparrows revelled, and where 

 it extended into the woods, Warblers and Woodpeckers were 

 common. Here also were found the Saw-whet Owls. There 

 seems to have been quite a migration between July 25 and 27, a 

 Field Plover, Summer Yellow-legs, and a Green Heron being taken 

 by John Reese between these dates. A Spotted Sandpiper and a 

 few Woodcocks were the only breeding water birds that came under 

 our notice. 



With regard to the trees, the hemlocks in their primaeval state 

 are still plentiful, and, when they are in great numbers, harbor 

 many a cool spot, almost entirely excluding the sun, and must 

 afford considerable encouragement to the Canadian element. 

 Sugar maples, black and white birch are very common ; there are 

 only a few white pines here and there, but beeches are abundant, 

 serving in days gone by as the principal food of the Wild Pigeon, 

 the young being fed almost entirely on the curd of the beech-nut. 



