32 



NOTES UPON BIRDS OBSERVED IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, 

 BETWEEN JULY 17 AND SEPTEMBER 4, 1875. 



BY E. W. NELSON. 



TIIK following observations were made during a collecting trip 

 through the southern portion of the state at a season when but few 

 species other than the summer residents were to be found. One of 

 the main objects of the trip was to learn as far as possible what spe- 

 cies were to be found in the southern extreme of the state during 

 summer. For this purpose two main points were chosen. Mt. Car- 

 mel on the W abash, and Cairo at the junction of the Ohio and Missis- 

 sippi. From each of these places short trips were made into the 

 elevated country away from the rivers, the results of which will be 

 given in a supplementary list after each of the main lists. 



Mt. Carmel and Vicinity. 



The observations at this place extend over the entire time of our 

 sojourn in Southern Illinois, as my companion, Mr. F. T. Jencks, to 

 whom I am indebted for many of the Mt. Carmel notes, remained 

 here during my trip to Cairo and vicinity. 



At this place our collecting was mainly confined to the heavily 

 wooded bottom-lands along the W abash and White Rivers, with short 

 excursions to the slightly hilly and well wooded country back of the 

 town. This we found would scarcely repay us for our trouble, and 

 our attention was turned to the rich fauna of the bottoms. Here in 

 dense thickets about ponds and lagoons and especially in the under- 

 growth in portions of a cypress swamp on the White River, a few 

 miles above the town, we found our most attractive field. 



In such places Protonotaria citrea, Helminthophaga pinus, Dendrceca 

 ccerulea, Oporornis formosus and Myiodioctes mitratus with other inter- 

 esting species were more or less numerous. 



From Mt. Carmel an excursion was made to Fox Prairie about 

 thirty-five miles to the north-west. The observations there will be 

 given in an additional list. 



As my friend Mr. Ridgway has discussed the faunal and floral'rela- 

 tions of the W abash Valley 1 I would refer the reader to this excellent 

 paper, and proceed to the results <k our field work. 



iProc. B. S. N. H., Vol. XVI, Feb. 18, 1874, pp. 304. 



