LooMis on Birds of South Carolina. 209 



of that galaxy of brave, cheerful little spirits that come to us with 

 the first chill winds of autumn, and after enlivening the naked woods 

 with their presence through the colder months, depart for the ever- 

 green forests of the north when the April sun begins to freshen the 

 turf on sheltered hillsides. 



A PARTIAL LIST OF THE BIRDS OF CHESTER COUNTY, 

 SOUTH CAROLINA. 



BY LEVERETT M. LOOMIS. 



[The subjoined local list has the unusual merit of being the carefully- 

 made observations of one observer. It comprises the results of the watch- 

 fulness of one student extending over three years. It was not originally 

 intended for publication by its author, but was sent to me as a private 

 communication, and, at first, my advice was to withhold it from publica- 

 tion until it could be made more complete. With the design to cull from 

 it only such notes as mark positive additions to our knowledge, a more 

 attentive examination has led to the conviction that, as a whole, it is well 

 worthy of publicity. It only purports to be a " partial " list of the birds 

 of a small portion of South Carolina, and to give only the species actually 

 taken by the writer. It necessarily omits several kinds named by others ; 

 but this is of small consequence compared with the valuable feature of 

 certainty which pervades all its statements, when we know that " uo 

 statement is made except after careful revision and thorough study as to 

 comparative abundance and verification of examples." 



Doubtless further observations will lead to the discovery of more resi- 

 dent and migratory species, and reveal chance visitants not yet recorded. 

 Such a list as the following is a valuable substructure to build upon, while 

 it also furnishes important additions to our previous knowledge. The 

 asterisk (*) indicates species that remain and breed. — T. M. Brewer.] 



South Carolina is divided into four great belts : 1. The marshy- 

 region of the coast, or "low country"; 2. The dry, sandy "pine 

 barrens " of Middle Carolina ; 3. The rolling uplands of the north- 

 ern portions of the State ; 4. The mountainous districts of the 

 extreme northwest. 



Chester County is situated in the third belt, between parallels of 

 latitude 34° 33' and 34° 49', one hundred and twenty-eight to one 

 hundred and sixty-six miles from the sea, with an average altitude 



VOL. IV. 14 



