Vol i'906' 111 ] Beyer, Allison, Kopman, Birds of Louisiana. 275 



LIST OF THE BIRDS OF LOUISIANA. 



BY GEO. E. BEYER, ANDREW ALLISON, AND H. H. KOPMAN. 



Part II. — Preliminary Sketch, Concluded. 



(Continued from p. 15.) 



The survey of the topographical aspect of Louisiana bird life 

 having been offered in the preceding pages, the introductory 

 matter will now be concluded by presenting the seasonal phases 

 of the avifauna of Louisiana, especially of the southern part of 

 the State. 



The main features in the seasonal history of Louisiana bird life 

 will be correctly conjectured from a general knowledge of the breed- 

 ing and winter ranges of the birds of eastern North America, but 

 there are several peculiar considerations of interest. Preeminent 

 among these are the preponderance of aliens throughout the usually 

 mild winters, the great length of the semivernal period preceding 

 the full course of spring, and the extent of the season of fall migra- 

 tion. 



The succession of changes in the status of bird habitation in 

 Louisiana is no less marked than in much more northern regions. 

 Conditions in winter furnish a very convincing proof of this state- 

 ment. Meteorologically, it is true, the Louisiana winter, espe- 

 cially in the southern part of the State, usually lacks the prime 

 essentials of the season; but speaking from a faunal and floral 

 standpoint, the season is unequivocal. Except for live and water 

 oaks, and pines — the universal evergreens — the arboreal growths 

 are leafless for at least a part of the time intervening between the 

 nominal limits of winter. In many localities the amount of ever- 

 green shrubs is insignificant, and few herbs are perennial. Insect 

 and reptile life is correspondingly dormant. Among the Passeres 

 and nearest allies, the preponderance of winter visitor forms over 

 residents is highly significant. As links between summer and 

 winter bird life, there are practically no forms except a few of 

 the Pieidse and Icteridse, Cardinalis, Lanius, Dendroica vigorsii, 

 Geothlypis trichas, Parus, and Sialia sialis. 



