52 THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



named I have observed myself." He also states that "for several 

 of the birds I am indebted to Dr. Hoy, of Racine." Mr. E. W. 

 Nelson says :f "The only instance known to me of its capture in 

 this portion of the country is a specimen taken by Dr. Hoy, from 

 a flock of three, upon the Lake shore near Racine," a few miles 

 north of our limits. 



While the range of this species includes the northern parts 

 of the whole northern hemisphere, in North America- it is found 

 chiefly on the Atlantic coast, and is rarely seen away from salt 

 water. Professor Cooke says:J "During 'the winter of 1883- 

 1884 tm " s species was represented from Illinois southward by a 

 few rare visitants. In the spring it was rare south of Minnesota, 

 but by the time it reached that State its numbers had been in- 

 creased by recruits from the southeast, and it became almost 

 common." Professor Cooke also calls attention to the "uncer- 

 tainty in using the records concerning this species because it is 

 commonly confounded with the Snow Goose, which is locally 

 known as Brant all through the West." 



Genus OLOR Wagler, 1832. 



Olor columbianus (Ord). Whistling Swan. 



Cygnus bewicki Sw. & RICH., Fauna Bor. Amer., II, 1831, 465 (neo 



Yarr.). 

 Cygn-us americanus SHARPLESS, Doughty's Cab. N. H., I, 1830, 185, 



pi. 16. 



Anas columbianus ORD, in Guthrie's Geog.. 2d Amer. ed., 1815, 319. 

 Olor columbianus STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. National Mus., V, 1882, 210. 

 Popular synonym: AMEEICAN SWAN. 



Formerly a very common migrant, arriving in the spring 

 about the middle of March and returning sometime in September. 

 At the present time it is much rarer, only a few being seen each 

 year. I have seen several specimens of this species which were 

 taken by club members at Liverpool, Indiana. Recently, I saw 

 and shot at one near Hyde Lake, .Indiana. Mr. E. W. Nelson 

 says:* "In the spring of 1876 they were more numerous than 

 usual ; quite a large number of specimens were in market and 

 many were seen on the small lakes and large prairie sloughs 

 in this vicinity." 



The Whistling Swan breeds in the far north, but its geo- 

 graphical range covers the whole of North America. 



tBirds of Northeastern Illinois. Bull, of the Essex Institute, Vol. VIII, 138. 



$Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley, p. 78. 



*Birds of Northeastern Illinois. Bull, of the Essex Institute. Vol. VIII, 1876, 136. 



