1914 ] GoLSAN AND HoLT, Birds of Alabama. 213 



Maximum temperature 106 degrees in July, minimum 5 degrees 

 below zero in February. Both these extremes, however, are very 

 exceptional, the mercury seldom rising above 100 degrees or falling 

 below 10 degrees. 



Autauga County is covered by a belt of sands and pebbles, 

 the Central Pine Belt, and is generally rolling or hilly, but the 

 southern part of the county bordering the Alabama River is more 

 or less level. It was in this southern portion that most of our work 

 was done, principally in the country around Autaugaville, Booth 

 and Prattville. 



Autaugaville lies in a large flat tract extending northward from 

 the Alabama River about six miles and then rising rather abruptly 

 into rolling hills. Bear Swamp occupies most of this fiat area. 

 The swamp is heavily timbered with cypress {Taxodium distichum), 

 *gum' {Nyssa sylvatica, Nyssa aquatica and Liquidambar styra- 

 ciflua), pine (Pinus tceda), beech {Fagus americana), magnolia 

 {Magnolia foetida and M. virginiayia) , tulip (Liriodendron tulipifera) 

 and is thick with an undergrowth of smaller trees and shrubs, such 

 as swamp red bay {Per sea pubescens), holly {Ilex opaca and /. 

 coriacea), red maple {Acer rubrum) fetter bush {Pieris nitida) and 

 'possum haw' {Viburnum nudum), besides a variety of vines and 

 briers {Rubus argutus and Smilax bona-nox) all too abundant for 

 comfortable traveling and a little cane {Arundinaria tecta) which 

 is disappearing. On the surrounding hills are found pine {Pinus 

 echinata, P. tceda and P. palustris), mostly second growth, and 

 'scrub' oaks of several species (principally Quercus minor and Q. 

 marylandica with an occasional Q. pagodoefolia and Q. sckneckii), 

 also an occasional hickory, black and sweet gum, honey locust 

 {Gleditsia triaeanthos) and quite a lot of sparkleberry {Vaccinium 

 arbor eum) and huckleberry. Grapes {Vitis oestivalis, V. vulpina and 

 V. rotundifolia) are abundant. The once beautiful hills, covered 

 until recent years with almost unbroken verdure, are now in places 

 almost bare, and the whole face of Nature seems devastated by 

 that most potent engine of destruction — the saw mill. The 

 noble long-leaf pine is now being replaced by short-leaf and old- 

 field second growth. 



• The character of the country surrounding Booth and Prattville 

 is essentially the same as that of the Bear Swamp region, only the 



