I 'i A Stone, Summer Birds of Pine Barrens of N. J. I April 



Portions of this region, especially in Atlantic County, are still 

 quite wild and comparatively uninhabited. Deer ( Cariacus 

 virginianus) are shot here every winter, and along the upper 

 Egg Harbor River a few bears (Ursus americanus) in all 

 probability still exist. 



The Pine Barrens lie entirely within the Carolinian Fauna 

 and are, generally speaking, much richer in southern types than 

 the southeastern portion of Pennsylvania. Many species of 

 insects and plants are found there which do not occur farther 

 north in the State, nor to the west of the Delaware River. A 

 number of Carolinian birds also occur abundantly, but some 

 other species quite as characteristic of this fauna, and which 

 are found regularly in southeastern Pennsylvania, are conspicu- 

 ous by their absence. This is undoubtedly due to the peculiar 

 environment, which is not suited to their habits. 



The occurrence of such a boreal type of mammal as the Red- 

 backed Mouse (Evoto?nys) in the Pine Barrens is probably 

 accounted for by the fact that it here inhabits the cool sphagnum 

 bogs and is chiefly nocturnal, so that the environment during 

 the time of its activity would be quite congenial. 



No northern species of birds have yet been found breeding in 

 the Pine Barrens, unless the Redstart be so considered, for 

 although it occurs sparingly in other parts of the Carolinian 

 belt, it is much more characteristic of the Alleghanian fauna. 



Of the birds which characterize the dry scrub barrens the 

 Towhee, Ovenbird and Prairie Warbler are the most conspicuous. 

 The latter species is especially numerous, and its song is heard 

 continually as it flits about among the low pines and scrub oaks. 

 Wherever the tall pines occur the Pine Warbler abounds, 

 frequenting the topmost branches, among the bunches of cones 

 or clinging to the trunk in the manner of a Creeper. In the 

 thickets bordering the cedar swamps are heard the notes of the 

 Carolina Chickadee and White-eyed Vireo, but the most interest- 

 ing bird of these localities is the Parula Warbler. Everywhere 

 throughout the swamps the bushes are covered with great 

 masses and festoons of the delicate gray lichen or 'beard-moss' 

 ( Usnea barbata), and where this grows thickest the Parulas 

 abound. They nest exclusively in the bunches of lichens ; select- 

 in 0- some convenient bunch they loop and weave together the 



