Birds of Allegany Park 249 



chief nesting sites of the Chickadees, birds which from both the 

 economic and esthetic standpoints we cannot afford to lose. 



Further than this the fire danger is not so great in the Allegany 

 Park as in a coniferous forest. There are no signs of great destruc- 

 tion by fires in the past. Forest fires have occurred, as many fire- 

 scarred trees and stumps show, but the forest floor, with its humus 

 and splendid reproduction of woody plants, indicates that they have 

 done but little damage. The area will be well intersected with 

 roads and trails, and any fire that starts can be easily reached and 

 extinguished in a comparatively short time. 



Fungi, of course, will develop in old stumps and logs, and such 

 fungi are now abundant in the region. But a fungus that starts 

 in a dead log or stump is rarely if ever truly parasitic, or the primary 

 cause of the death of a living tree. Species of such genera as 

 Pleurotus, Polyp orus, Fistulina, Pholiota and Volvaria grow on both 

 living and dead trees, but when on living trees they grow only on 

 dead portions that have been injured by some other cause. The 

 most destructive parasitic fungi, such as the chestnut disease (En- 

 dothia parasitica), the white pine blister rust (Pcridermiuiu Strobi), 

 and Trametes pini, do not normally start or develop in dead 

 logs or trees, but on living ones. They may occasionally, however, 

 persist on a tree they have killed, fruit there, and re-infect living 

 trees. This danger is so slight as not to justify cleaning a Park 

 area of all dead trees and stumps, if thereby valuable forest birds 

 are driven away. 



The practice of forestry within large recreational areas is desir- 

 able. Yet there are many nature lovers who are antagonistic to 

 such an idea. There is opportunity in the Allegany Park to show 

 that forestry can be practiced without destroying many of the natural 

 conditions of the forest. Certain parts of the Park should be pre- 

 served wholly in the wild state. Thus we may use the Park as an 

 example to the rest of the State and the entire nation where forestry, 

 recreation and the preservation of wild life can all be developed 

 harmoniously. 



GAME BIRDS OF THE PARK AND THEIR FUTURE 



Only two native species of game birds are known to breed within 

 the Park. These are the Ruffed Grouse, known locally as Partridge, 

 and the Woodcock. The first is quite common, and the second, 

 while not common, is widely distributed. Both are reported to occur 

 in fewer numbers than in former years, but both are more fre- 

 quently seen here than has been my experience in any other part of 

 eastern United States in the past fifteen years. 



One or more species of Pheasant (Phasianus) is reported as 

 having been introduced in various parts of the Park area, but I saw 

 none. A small flock are reported this year in the Tunungwant 

 Valley near Limestone, and others have been liberated in the Red 

 House Valley, and perhaps other places. How successful their 



