NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



461 



hills, and mixed on the better soils with 

 loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) or with red 

 gum (Liguidambar styraciflua), hickory 

 (Cary alba), and white, post and red 

 oaks (Quercus alba, Q. stellata, Q. fal- 

 zata). The undergrowth is composed 

 of dogwood (Cornus florida) . 



The bluff lands are well drained and 

 fertile. They support a dense hardwood 

 growth featured by white, post, overcup 

 and water oaks, beech, hickories, gum, 

 and yellow poplar. Dense undergrowth 

 of haw, dogwood, briers, hornbeam and 

 ilex feature this type. Grasses are 

 missing. 



Animals (H. H. K): In uplands with 

 considerable or predominating hard- 

 woods, the opossum (Didelphis vir- 

 giniana), skunk (Mephitis mesomelas), 

 cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus 

 alacer), gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinen- 

 sis) and occasionally the chipmunk 

 (Tamias striatus venustus), are most 

 characteristic of the mammals, while 

 smaller birds of commoner occurrence 

 than elsewhere are red-headed wood- 

 pecker, flicker, towhee, summer tanager, 

 yellow-throated vireo, Louisiana water- 

 thrush, catbird, thrasher, florida white- 

 breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse, 

 and wood thrush. It should be noted 

 that consideration is given here and 

 elsewhere only to nesting birds. 



In the longleaf pine hills and pine 

 flats regions the most abundant and 

 thriving or more or less peculiar species 

 are the red-headed woodpecker, red- 

 cockaded woodpecker, Florida night- 

 hawk, southern meadowlark, chipping 

 sparrow, pine warbler, brown-headed 

 nuthatch and bluebird. 



In the river bottoms of the longleaf 

 pine hills the most regular nesting 

 species are yellow-billed cuckoo, red- 

 bellied woodpecker, chuck-wills' widow, 

 crested and Acadian flycatchers, sum- 

 mer tanager, red-eyed, yellow-throated, 

 and white-eyed vireos, parula warbler, 

 tufted titmouse, blue-gray gnat catcher, 

 and wood thrush. 



6. Hardwood Bottom Lands. Plants 

 (L. W.) : The alluvial lands cover one- 

 half of the state. The hardwood bot- 



toms support a very luxuriant stand of 

 mixed hardwoods. Several kinds of 

 white oak and water oak, gums, elm, 

 ash, magnolia, sycamore, cottonwood 

 and willow are a few of the species 

 found. The undergrowth is composed 

 of vines, briers, palmetto, yaupon, and 

 hornbeam. 



Animals (H. H. K): In the extensive 

 hardwood bottoms, and wooded alluvial 

 coastal plain, the principal haunts of 

 the black bear (Ursus americanus, or 

 perhaps the yellow bear, U. luteolus), 

 cougar (Felis concolor group), bob-cat 

 (Lynx rufus), and deer (Odocoileus 

 virginianus louisianae) are found. The 

 raccoon, mink, swamp-rabbit, and gray 

 squirrel are common. Characteristic 

 birds here are water-turkey, wood duck, 

 wood ibis, little blue heron, yellow- 

 crowned night heron, red-bellied wood- 

 pecker, Acadian flycatcher, protho- 

 notary warbler, and sycamore warbler. 

 A peculiar feature of the bird life is 

 that certain species abundant in other 

 physiographic types are plentiful here 

 also, while other species abundantly 

 associated with them in other types 

 are comparatively scarce or absent here. 

 Particularly notable in this last con- 

 nection are red-headed woodpecker, 

 kingbird, blue jay, cowbird, chipping 

 sparrow, indigo bunting (except in 

 migration), loggerhead shrike, yellow- 

 throated vireo, brown thrasher (except 

 in migration), catbird (except in migra- 

 tion), white-breasted nuthatch and 

 bluebird. 



c. Prairies. Plants (L. W.): The 

 prairie region, lying in the southwestern 

 part of the state is a treeless country 

 with few bushes and vines. This belt 

 is marked by good soils bearing excellent 

 stands of grass and sedges. 



Animals (H. H. K.) : The fauna of the 

 prairies is characterized by a scarcity 

 of mammals. Conspicuous birds are 

 mourning dove, Florida nighthawk, 

 kingbird, and meadowlark. 



d. Coastal marshes. Plants (L. W.): 

 The coastal marshes border the Gulf 

 in a strip 10 to 40 mi. wide. This 

 is a treeless region which is charac- 



