It has been my purpose not to include within this list any species which has 

 not been taken in the State and not to note any species as having bred unless I am 

 satisfied upon good authority that it has done so. I have added a supplemental list 

 of species, which, from their having been taken near our limits, may, with more or 

 less probability, be expected to be found within the State. 



I have not followed the plan of the publication of Dr. Brayton, of which this 

 is the successor and from which many notes have been taken, but have preferred to 

 adopt the form herein chosen, thinking it would be acceptable, because different 

 from anything which has been published concerning the birds of the State. The 

 difficulty has been to condense the mass of notes at hand into the limited space 

 accorded by the Society. It is very much desired, and I trust that we shall have, in 

 the immediate future, a report of proper size, concerning the "Birds of Indiana" 

 and their economic relation?. 



An extract from the letter of transmission, by which Mr. Sylvester Johnson, 

 President of the Indiana Horticultural Society, accompanies the transactions of 

 the sixteenth annual session of that Society to the Governor of the State, and with 

 which Dr. Brayton opens his letter transmitting his report of the birds of the State 

 in 1880, is worthy a place here, for it expresses our views to-day as well as it did 

 fifteen years ago : 



" An abundant supply of timber, especially of evergreens, furnishing, as it does, 

 the natural home and breeding places of many of our feathered friends, would of 

 itself greatly increase and encourage this source of relief to the horticulturist, 

 while many of our worst insect enemies have been driven, by the destruction of their 

 natural forest homes, to take refuge in our orchards. But the birds must be en- 

 couraged and protected, while insects as a rule, must be destroyed. They should 

 not, however, be slayed indiscriminately, as many of our best, friends are amongst 

 the tiny creatures of the insect world, while there are very few exceptions to the 

 general friendly character of the feathered tribes. These facts, therefore, bring us 

 to a consideration of the importance of a knowledge of the kindred sciences of 

 ornithology and entomology, which it has been the aim of this society at all times 

 to encourage and foster as of vital importance to the horticulturist, and to which 

 we would now call your attention as subjects worthy of legal attention." 



True to its principles thus expressed, the Indiana Horticultural Society, coop- 

 erating with the Indiana Academy of Science, the State Board of Agriculture and 

 other agricultural associations, memorialized the Legislature of Indiana, at its last 

 session, for the passage of a law for the proper protection of native insectivorous 

 birds, with provision for collecting them for scientific and economic investigation. 

 While not securing the passage of the act just as it was drafted, a bill was passed 

 and signed by the Governor which, in the main, answers the purposes desired, and 

 under which violators, it is to be hoped, will be punished. The following is the 

 text of the law as enacted : 



