334 



NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



References : 



Bray, Wm. L. Op. cit. 



Harshberger, J. W. The Plant For- 

 mations of the Adirondacks. Tor- 

 rey, 5:187-194, 1907. 



Numerous State Conservation Com- 

 mission and State Museum Publica- 

 tions. 



2. *The Catskill Park. (A2.) This 

 reservation embraces 576, 120 acres 

 occupying the central portion of the 

 Catskill Mountains. Of this tract the 

 State owns 116,364 acres. This is the 

 main section of the Catskill uplift, 

 having elevations around 1000 to 4204 

 ft. (Slide Mountain). It is a region of 

 rounded contours and broad valleys, 

 of no glacial lakes, and with rapidly 

 flowing unpolluted streams. 



Original biota at elevations 2000 to 

 3500 ft., similar to beech, sugar maple, 

 hemlock type (Canadian Transition) 

 of Adirondacks 1000 to 2500 ft. Plant 

 cover much modified in age and conifer 

 content by human agency. Large pred- 

 atory and game animals, except bear 

 and deer exterminated. 



On the Hudson River side, the oak 

 (including chestnut oak), hickory, chest- 

 nut, tulip tree forest of the Hudson 

 Valley (Carolinian) extends up the 

 southeasterly facing valleys (coves) 

 nearly to the heart of the highlands. 

 From 1000 to about 3000 ft., sugar 

 maple, beech, yellow birch, white pine, 

 and hemlock (Allegheny Transition) 

 forest predominates, while above 3000 

 ft. the addition of red spruce, balsam 

 fir and similar numerous northerly forest 

 floor species indicate its relation with 

 the Canadian Transition zone of the 

 lower Adirondacks. Commercial soft 

 woods have been largely cut out, so that 

 the mountain slopes and summits are 

 covered with secondary hardwood for- 

 est, reproductions of spruce, balsam 

 fir and dwarf white birch, or burns with 

 fire weed, blueberry, popple, and fire 

 cherry. The valleys are in farms and 

 pastures. There are many acres of 

 approximately typical climax forest with 

 its characteristic forest floor species. 



Deer not uncommon, black bear rare, 

 foxes, skunks, squirrels (red and gray), 

 and raccoons common. Abundant bird 

 fauna, including species of spruce- 

 balsam fir (Canadian) zone. Smaller 

 streams not much polluted, stocked with 

 trout. Traversed by State highways. 

 Go from Arkville, D. and H. R. R., to 

 Phonecia, 21 mi. and Tannersville, 35 

 mi.; by D. and H. from Kingston to 

 Phonecia, 27 mi.; by Catskill Mountain 

 and Incline Railway from Catskill- 

 on-the-Hudson to Haines Falls, 20 mi. 

 Hotels numerous; favorable camping 

 sites throughout the region. 



In charge of the State Conservation 

 Commission, Albany, N. Y. 



References : 



Harshberger, J. W. Plant Formations 

 of the Catskills. Plant World, 

 8: 276-281, 1905. 



Mearns, E. A., Notes on the Mammals 

 of the Catskill Mts., etc., Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus. 21:341-360, 1898. 



Pettis, C. R., Catskill Highways. 

 Recreation Circular No. 4. State 

 Conservation Commission Publi- 

 cation. 



3. * Palisades Interstate Park. (D3.) 

 Secondary (sprout) forest, lakes, and 

 marsh; about 36,000 acres of the Hudson 

 Highlands, including the Palisades of 

 the Hudson, lying on the west bank of 

 the Hudson between Ft. Lee, New Jersey 

 and Fort Montgomery, New York. 

 Mountain-like upland with numerous 

 peaks from 1200 to 1400 ft. elevation, 

 series of upland lakes, broad valleys, 

 and fresh streams. 



Original forest cover of oaks (includ- 

 ing chestnut oak), hickories, chestnut 

 (very abundant originally, now greatly 

 depleted by chestnut blight), tulip tree, 

 and at lower levels occasional sweet gum 

 (lower Transition to Carolinian zone). 

 Present forest vegetation much modified 

 but retaining original types by sprout 

 reproduction. Mountain laurel (Kal/nia 

 latifolia) on the slopes. Great laurel 

 (Rhododendron maximum} about interior 

 lake at 1000 ft. elevation. Deer occa- 



