Prairie Chickens 169 



(a) On the original prairie range the species persists: 



(1) In small numbers on cleanly cultivated "black" prairie, without any 

 cover other than standing corn and occasional weedy fencer ows or pastures. 

 (Examples: Champaign County, Illinois; Lafayette County, Wisconsin). 



(2) In larger numbers on the poorer prairie, where there are occasional fal- 

 low fields, abandoned farms, or even small remnants of unplowed prairie sod. 

 (Examples: Southeast Illinois, northeast and southwest Missouri.) 



(b) On the acquired range the species is found: 



(3) In considerable numbers on till plain farms interspersed with glacial 

 swamp grasslands, and sometimes tamarack swamps. (Examples: Northeast Illi- 

 nois, south central Wisconsin, south Michigan lower peninsula, north Indiana.) 



(4) In large numbers on the sand plains. These were originally scrubby 

 forests now converted into prairie or brushland by fire. This prairie is inter- 

 spersed with a few farms, and large defunct drainage districts often with peaty 

 soils. (This is the main stronghold of the species. Example: Central Wiscon- 

 sin.) 



(5) In large numbers on slashings. Original pine or hardwood forests con- 

 verted into brushland or even grassland by fire. On the richer soils near high- 

 ways the brush is interspersed with farming districts. (Example: North Wiscon- 

 sin.) 



The sharptail is confined to the brushier parts of types 4 and 5. Near farm- 

 ing districts the two species overlap. 



The pinnated range in types 1 and 3 is shrinking as drainage and grazing 

 gradually reduce the available cover. In type 2 the pinnated possibly is stationary, 

 or declining only slowly. The available range is expanding due to reversion of 

 fields on the poorer soils. Types 4 and 5 are expanding in area by reason of fire, 

 but as farming suffers local expansions or contractions, the pinnated and sharp- 

 tail, respectively, become dominant. 



Recent Trend of Abundance. Disregarding the temporary fluctuations, 

 the general trend of both species of prairie chickens collectively is unquestionably 

 downward in the prairie type, probably downward in the till plains, and prob- 

 ably stationary in the sand plains and slashings. This of course is merely an un- 

 supported personal judgment for the region as a whole. It is known to be sub- 

 ject to a good many local exceptions, and is applicable to the last decade only. 



Over a period including the last two or three decades, the trend in all types 

 has been sharply downward, with the exception of the slashings, which were then 

 barely beginning to be inhabited by chickens, and where the trend since has been 

 upward due to expanding area. 



Laymen's local estimates on general trends are almost worthless because of 

 the constant probability that temporary fluctuation rather than long-time trend is 

 the thing measured. During the survey of Missouri, however, laymen were ques- 

 tioned in such a way as to eliminate temporary fluctuations to the extent that 

 there were any. Of eight localities, two seemed to show an increase, one was 

 stationary, and five showed decrease. 



