468 Harlow, Breeding Birds of Center County, Pa. [oct. 



Farther down the valley and across the line in Hundington 

 County we find the section known as Stone Valley. The popula- 

 tion is sparse and many of the residents consider it an event of 

 their lives to visit State College, only eleven miles away. Here 

 Laurel run wends its way through dense rhododendron thickets 

 with a scattering shade of hemlock, mostly second growth, black 

 birch and yellow birch. Several slashings occur along the old 

 lumber roads where the undergrowth is almost impenetrable and 

 where we find occasional giant dead hemlocks still standing, 

 spurned by the axeman on account of some defect. 



The typical woodlot of the region is composed of black and 

 scarlet oaks, shagbark and white hickory, pitch pine and white 

 oak. Several stands of white pine occur, but mostly as second 

 growth. 



It is the desire of the author to express his thanks especially 

 to Mr. Foster White, to whose conscientious and indefatigable 

 labors much of the success of these investigations is due. Mr. 

 David Harrower has also given me free access to his notes on the 

 birds of this region, many of which are of great value. Thanks are 

 also due to Messrs. Douglass Spencer, Herbert Mathers and Frank 

 Craighead for valuable assistance, and lastly, the author wishes 

 to thank Professor W. R. McConnell of the Department of Zoology 

 of State College for the assistance and encouragement he has always 

 so willingly tendered. 



The list of breeding birds of southern Center County follows. 



1. Butorides virescens virescens. Green Heron. — Regular and 

 fairly common summer resident in suitable locations. Prefers small groves 

 or orchards in the vicinity of water and usually nests in the highest branches. 

 Have examined two nests in this vicinity. The first was found May 22, 

 1909, and was built 25 feet up in the top of an apple tree in an orchard. 

 It contained five fresh eggs. The second nest was found after the young 

 had flown and was 30 feet up in a box elder, in an open grove along a 

 stream. Both were near Thompson's spring. 



2. Rallus virginianus. Virginia Rail. — Regular and common 

 summer resident in the swamps at Center Furnace and probably elsewhere. 

 In 1909 three sets of ten eggs each were collected here on June 7. One set 

 was fresh and the others far incubated. In 1910 the birds were present 

 but no extended search was made for their nests and in 1911 one set was 

 found at the same place and one set of 10 eggs was taken May 28, 1912. 

 They choose the drier parts of the marsh in which to nest while the Sora 



