BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



In the following catalogue are included only those species which 

 undoubtedly occur at the present time, and those of whose for- 

 mer omiii'HMfla there exists reliable evidence. In strict accuracy, 

 Camptpktix* principali*, Commit earolinf*sis, and Ajaja ajaja 

 might with propriety be excluded from the regular list and in- 

 cluded in -a special category. I have decided to retain them, how- 

 ever, for the reason that any doubt which may now exist concern- 

 ing their present or very recent occurrence can be supported by 

 iiniij negative evidence, based upon iiilinmiij meager data ; whuV 

 my experience relating to other southern species, resulting from a 

 pOBOiiil. though by no means thorough, exploration of localities 

 more than 100 miles north of Cairo, leads me to expect interesting 

 discoveries (some of them perhaps iiiiintifii|Mtrul), from careful ob- 

 servations in some of fh* more secluded portions of the ***M n iF > w 

 southern counties of the State. It is not at all impossible that 

 in these fastnesses, the above *p*t**^ species may still exist 



The iliiiniifinatina and nomenclature followed in the present work 

 are those adopted by the special committee of the American Or- 

 nithologists' Union, and used in the official check-list of the Union, 

 now being printed. As to the classification, however, I have re- 

 versed the sequence of families and higher groups, preferring to 

 as has been customary, with the Thrushes. 



