90 



ety, in behalf of the author, a work by Dr. GEORGE A. 

 OTIS, U. S. Army, containing a list of the human crania 

 and skeletons now in the collection of the Army Medical 

 Museum at Washington. Mr. Putnam said that this 

 work was very complete in the measurements given, 

 and was a valuable addition to the library as a work of 

 reference. 



Mr. PUTNAM read a communication on the 



BIRDS OF NORTH-E ASTERN ILLINOIS. 

 . BY E. W. NELSON. 



THE region about the southern end of Lake Michigan, in Illinois, 

 presents an unusually fertile field for the ornithologist. Situated, as 

 it is, midway between the wooded region of the East and the treeless 

 plains of the West, with the warm river bottoms of the South, rich in 

 southern species, extending within a comparatively short distance, 

 and the Great Lakes upon the north, North-eastern Illinois forms a 

 kind of "four corners" where the avian-faunse of four regions inter- 

 grade. To the proximity of Lake Michigan we are indebted for a 

 number of more or less strictly maritime species, among the most 

 important of which are, during summer, Ammodromus caudacutus, 

 jEyialitis melodus and Anas obscura, and, during the migrations, Strep- 

 silas interprcs, Tringa bonapartci, T. marilima, T. canuta, Culidris are- 

 naria, with all the common water birds, with very few exceptions, 

 found upon the coast at that season. In winter the list is larger, 

 during which season are found Histrionicus torquatus, Harelda glaciulis, 

 the three species of (Edemia, Somateria mollissima, 8. spcctabilis, titcr- 

 corarius pomatorhinus, Larus glaucus, L. leucoptcms, L. marinus, and 

 Hissa tridactyla. 



As would be expected, the southern species occur only in summer, 

 with the exception of Lophophanes bicolor, which is found only in 

 winter. The principal southern species arc: Mimus polyylottus, Pants 

 carolinensis, Thryothorus ludoricianus, T. bnoicki, Protonotaria citrea, 

 Dendrccca var. albilora, D. ccKrnlea, Oporornis formosns, Icteria virens, 

 Myiodioctes mitratus, Pyranya (estiva, Collurio var. litdoriciana, .Cardi- 

 nal is virginianus, Centnrus carolinus, Nauderus forficatus, Rhynoyrij- 

 pliusaura, Tantalus loculator, Gallinula martinica, Porzana jamaiccnsis, 

 Sterna reyia and 8. antillarum. 



We have also, either as residents or transient visitants, the follow- 

 ing western species: Ilyiadcstes townsendi, Vireo belli (breeds), lies- 



