INTRODUCTION 41 



cannot be exceeded in any section of the United States at all 

 comparable in area and latitude. The records include the 

 summer of 1922, but as many as possible were added later, 

 up to December 1st inclusive. Exceptions are noted beyond. 



Long Island. The best known section of the Region, 

 with records going back 100 years. The long seacoast and the 

 many bays give us our long list of water-birds, the majority 

 of which are unknown elsewhere. The eastern end is by far 

 the best for them. As a general rule they arrive from the 

 north quite a bit earlier here than near New York City, and 

 linger later, as the winter climate is distinctly milder, tem- 

 pered by the relatively warm seas surrounding it. In the 

 spring they arrive earlier and depart later. This is also true 

 of certain land-birds that are preeminently coastal, such as 

 the Horned Lark, Snowflake and Ipswich Sparrow. Long 

 Island is, however, to the east of any main migratory high- 

 way of those transient land-birds which prefer rich woodland 

 or its borders. Warblers, for instance, are distinctly less 

 abundant on Long Island than in the Hudson River Valley or 

 northern New Jersey, although they follow even the outer 

 beaches. A total of 357 species are definitely and positively 

 known to have occurred. The status of the Prairie Horned 

 Lark and Bronzed Grackle still need careful determination, 

 and the winter bird-life of Montauk Point will unquestion- 

 ably repay long-continued observation. Mr. J. T. Nichols, 

 who has devoted himself to the study of Long Island birds for 

 many years, collated the data for the water-birds. Dr. E. R. 

 P. Janvrin prepared a similar abstract for the land-birds. Mr. 

 Nichols also carefully revised and checked the manuscript. 

 My thanks for such great assistance is extended to both. 

 Migration dates are given in considerable detail, but au- 

 thority and locality is given only for those previously un- 

 published. Dates in brackets are regarded as casual. Three 

 " Local Regions" will be found under Long Island as follows: 



