„ "^ ■.-. . T r Txr , t-r- ■ • r Auk 



134 Rives, Summer Birds of West Virginia. LApril 



tance to its head waters, to catch them. Amonglthe mammals 

 showino- the northern character of the fauna, the Red Squirrel 

 {S. hudsonicHs) is commonly found. As the timber is being cut 

 out, a corresponding change is taking place in the avifauna ; 

 many of the Warblers and other Canadian birds have naturally 

 disappeared and the cleared land has been occupied in their stead 

 by Towhees, Song Sparrows, Catbirds, House Wrens and other 

 birds of the more open country, while the dead timber is very 

 congenial to Woodpeckers, so that there was a marked alteration 

 in the distribution of the birds in the vicinity of the town, between 

 my first and second visits. The Snow Birds, however, were evi- 

 dently little affected by the changes and were as abundant in the 

 cleared land as in the forests. 



In exploring the country in search of birds, particular attention 

 was devoted to the spruce forests, as likely to be the special home 

 of the Canadian fauna, and time employed in searching the other 

 woods would doubtless have been rewarded by finding there some 

 additional species. Almost all of the birds were excessively shy ; 

 the song of the Winter Wren constantly trilled forth from the 

 depths of the rhododendron thickets, but the tiny songster him- 

 self was seldom seen, and though the notes of the Magnolia and 

 other Warblers were frequently heard, it was often a most difficult 

 achievement and necessitated straining one's neck to the utmost, 

 to get a sight of these interesting little birds, as they flitted from 

 one lofty tree top to another. I append a list with brief notes, of 

 the different species observed. 



1. Aythya affinis. Lesser Scaup Duck. — On June 11, Dr. Braislin 

 obtained a Duck from a young man who told us it liad just been shot on 

 the Blackwater River. It proved to be a Lesser Scaup, female. In this 

 connection it is of interest, as Dr. Braislin has pointed out to me, that 

 Mr. W. E. Clyde Todd has found this species in the breeding season in 

 Western Pennsylvania. 



2. Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. — One or two noticed 

 along the Blackwater. 



3. Bonasa umbellus. Ruffed Grouse. — Said to occur in the neigh- 

 borhood. Reported to have been seen during our stay last summer. 



4. Cathartes aura. Turkey Buzzard. — Two were seen June 10, 

 1897, if we were not mistaken, in the distance high in air. The rarity of 

 this bird was especially noticeable. 



5. Dryobates villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. — Not uncommon. 



