4 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



spring of 1882 is published in Forest and Stream during October 

 and November of that year; that of the spring of 1883 is pub- 

 lished by the American Field in Bull. no. 1 of the Ridgway Orni- 

 thological Club of Chicago, December 1883. The reports of 

 1884 and 1885 are contained in Bull. no. 2 of the Department of 

 Agriculture, Division of Economic Ornithology, entitled : " Report 

 on Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley in the years 1884 and 

 1885," by W. W. Cooke, 1888, edited and revised by Dr. C. H. 

 Merriam. 



III. EXPLANATIONS. 



The nomenclature is that of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union check-list, latest (1895) edition and supplements. The 

 numbers are also those of the check-list; the species and sub- 

 species have not been serially numbered, because in a preliminary 

 list it is too difficult to decide which shall and which shall not be 

 numbered ; a species doubtful to-day may have to be recognized 

 to-morrow, and species which have occurred lately may soon be 

 found exterminated as far as this state is concerned. Species and 

 subspecies which are known to have bred in the state, or which 

 occur under such circumstances that it is almost certain that they 

 breed within the limits of the state, are marked with an asterisk. 

 Synonyms, both scientific and English, used in the works of 

 American ornithologists, principally those used by Wilson, Audu- 

 bon, Nuttall, Baird, and Coues, are given to enable students to 

 find their way through the many and great changes in nomen- 

 clature made since the first of these books was printed ninety- 

 eight years ago. No attempt is made to describe birds ; manuals, 

 handbooks, keys, and general works on North American orni- 

 thology are numerous. The catalog is confined to a detailed 

 treatment of the geographic distribution of each species and sub- 

 species in accordance with the latest sources of information. 

 This is followed by a statement of its range in Missouri, manner 

 of occurrence in regard to season and relative abundance, dates 

 of arrival and departure, and such notes as may be helpful to the 

 student in the search of rare species. Species are called residents 

 when they are found within the limits of the state in every month 

 of the year ; they are sometimes called permanent residents when 

 they remain in the same locality throughout the year, but of this 

 kind we have but very few, while of many species some indi- 

 viduals remain through winter with us, though the majority go 

 outh. Of a few species the numbers are larger in winter than 



