islands, and especially about the delta of the Mississippi by 

 innumerable islets. The swamps extend inland from ten to 

 nearly fifty miles, and the rivers or bayous often afford the 

 only means of approaching the coast. Louisiana covers 

 about 48,000 square miles,. of which 1,050 are taken up by 

 land-locked bays, 1,700 by inland lakes and more than 540 by 

 river surface. This peculiar physical condition well accounts 

 for the fact that not only one-half of the resident birds, but 

 also the majority of winter residents are water birds. 



The greater part of water-broken territory constitutes 

 what we will call, the southern portion of Louisiana, lying 

 between the 29th and 30th degrees north. The western part 

 of this section, between the 92nd degree and the Sabine river, 

 is principally made up of prairie-lands, lined along the coast 

 by salt-marshes. The eastern part, between the 92nd and 

 89th degrees, contains the greater part of the water- broken 

 land, being excessively cut by rivers and bayous, Avhich are 

 often only secondary outlets for larger rivers or lakes, fur- 

 nishing thereby the means of drainage in flood time. Of 

 course, the entire southern section harbors, by far, the larger 

 number of species of water-birds, either resident or migratory, 

 to* be found in the State, some of which are almost completely 

 confined to the vicinity of the gulf waters. 



Central Louisiana, between the 30th and 32d degrees 

 north, presents a more varied topography. The southern 

 half of this, including the whole of the parishes of Oalcasieu, 

 Acadia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberville and part 

 of Avoyelles, Kapides and Vernon, is of a generally level con- 

 formation, excepting in a northwesterly direction, where it is 

 hilly, and contains the outrunners of the pine and hard-wood 

 lorests of the remaining northern portion of central Louisiana. 



The prairie regions of our state are unlike most of those 

 of Texas and further west, devoid almost of wood and water, 

 but are intersected by streams, along whose courses generally 

 a very luxuriant growth of timber constantly exists. It is for 

 this reason that the avifauna of the prairie regions, which, as 

 far as the number of species is concerned, would be a very lim- 

 ited one, is greatly augmented by forms, which otherwise 

 would be, more or less, restricted to the woods and highlands. 



Northern Louisiana, between the 32nd and 33rd degrees 

 north, and even the upper portions of central Louisiana, as far 

 down as Bed liiver Landing, is divisible into an upland and 

 lowland section, Ouachita river being the dividing line. 



