THE BIRDS OF FLOYD COUNTY, IOWA. 191 
of these is in Cerro Gordo County, and is known generally 
‘as the Hackberry Grove Clay Bank. There are no other 
elarge streams in the county. 
Due to the relative youth of the glacial drift there are still 
many undrained depressions. Along the line of the Chicago, 
Milwaukee, and St. Paul railway, between Rudd and Charles 
City, there are considerable areas of slough land. This was 
at one time of little agricultural value, but drainage has now 
made it suitable for farming. East and southeast of Charles 
City, and northwest of Floyd there are numerous sloughs, 
not yet thoroughly drained. The balance of the land is high, 
rolling prairie. 
B.—FORESTS. 
The natural forests of the region are largely oak, with 
some lindens and other trees. Poplars, willows, etc., are not 
abundant among the natural forest trees. Thornapple, wild 
plum, hazel, and various bushy trees make up the scrub 
growth. 
The principal areas of natural forest are along the streams, 
as shown in the map. The belt along the Cedar River is the 
largest of these, and despite continued cutting, covers some 
thousands of acres. The largest area of woodland away from 
streams is Wallers’ Woods, northeast of Charles City. a 
The introduced woodlands are largely of fruit trees, ever- 
greens, and elms. Soft and Manitoba maples are common. 
Along some of the roads there are rows of willow trees, but 
the custom is less prevalent in Floyd than in more central 
counties of Iowa. While the total of introduced forest proba- 
ble about equals the cut-off of natural timber, it is less attrac- 
tive to birds. This is due partly to the location and dis- 
tribution of the planted trees, and partly to the fact that they 
do not offer particularly good nesting sites to the birds which 
build in low, shrubby trees. 
C.—ROADS, TRANSPORTATION. 
In the map there is no indication of the roads. They are, 
for the most part, unpaved, and with the exception of a few ' 
“pikes” only moderately traveled. Weeds and bushes are 
