Merriam on Birds of Lewis County, New York. 53 



that extensive district well known to sportsmen as " John Brown's 

 Tract," which is embraced in the " Great Adirondack Wilderness," 

 of the northeastern portion of the State. This eastern district is 

 characterized by a sandy soil, which supports an immense forest, 

 chiefly of coniferous trees. In the northwestern part of the coiuity 

 is another large tract, called " Tug Hill," lying between Lake On- 

 tario and the Adirondack Wilderness, which is characterized by the 

 same class of forest-trees and the same general physical features. 

 The eastern, or Adii'ondack, region is truly Canadian in its fauna ; 

 the western partially so ; while the valley of the Black River and 

 the middle portion of the county lying west of it is strictly Alle- 

 ghanian. 



In the eastern (Adirondack) district are found breeding Turdus 

 pallasi, T. sivainsoni, Sitta canadensis, Anortlmra troglodytes var. 

 hyeinaUs, Dendroeca ccerulescens, D. coronata, D. blackhurnice, D. 

 maculosa, Geothlypis 'Philadelphia, Myiodioctes canadensis, Loxia 

 leucoptera, L. curvirostra var. americana, Zonotrichia alhicollis, 

 Junco hyemalis, Corvus corax, Perisoreus canadensis, Contojjus 

 borealis, Hylotomus pileatus, Picoides arcticus, P. americanus, 

 Sphyrapicus varius, Tetrao canadensis, Ardea herodias, Colymhus 

 torquatus, and many other less characteristic species. 



At my request, Mr. A. Jenings Dayan, one of our most careful, 

 enthusiastic, and conscientious collectors, sends me the following 

 notes concerning a few species found in the middle (Alleghanian) dis- 

 trict of the county. When not otherwise stated, his observations 

 pertain to the town of Lyon's Falls, in the Black River Valley. 



" Eremophila alpestris. Horned Lark. — A tolerably common spring 

 migrant ; a few breed. Dr. C. P. Kirley of Lowville [middle district] 

 has kindly given me this note on its breeding : ' I first observed Eremo- 

 phila alpestris July 16, 1876, when I shot one two-thirds grown, and saw 

 the parents. In the same locality, June 24, 1876, I noticed a pair of old 

 birds, and on searching for their nest, I found it not more than eighteen 

 inches from the main road. It contained three mifledged young. Since 

 then I have both seen and taken it during the breeding season.' 



"Helminthophaga peregrina. Tennessee Warbler. — I have taken 

 two of this species (May 19 and 23, 1877), the only record of its occur- 

 rence in this locality. 



"Collurio ludovicianus [var. excubitoroides, see below]. Logger- 

 head Shrike. — I shot a fine adult male September 24, 1877. Through 

 the kindness of Mr. A. M. Church, I have examined a nest and five eggs 

 of this bird, taken here May 11, 1877. He secured the female as she left 

 the nest. 



