Relation of Summer Birds to Western Adirondack Forest 433 



tain an abundant supply of cones ; but in extensive lumbered areas, 

 the mature, seed-bearing conifers have been nearly eliminated, so 

 that the food supply of the red squirrel there has been much reduced 

 and its range has been restricted to patches of virgin timber. About 

 Cranberry Lake this squirrel shows a preference for seeds of the 

 tamarack and the fir, and where these are scarce it must depend 

 mainly on beech nuts. It is only where beeches grow that the red 

 squirrel is found in the open woods. 



The chipmunk is also accused of robbing birds' nests, but its 

 forays seem to be rather an occasional yielding to temptation than a 

 persistent habit. 



Undoubtedly all the small carnivores avail themselves of any 

 chance to get a meal of birds' flesh or eggs; but they are few here. 

 Weasels alone remain numerous, and these sly, lithe creatures, able 

 to make a quick pounce on a sitting bird, to climb the larger trees, 

 and to worm their way into hiding places, are inveterate nest 

 robbers. Weasels doubtless destroy scores of bird families every 

 season, attacking even Grouse. To a less extent the fox, lynx, 

 mink, skunk and raccoon are foes of birds, especially game birds 

 and others that make their homes on the ground. Observers differ 

 as to the mischief done by the raccoon. It is one of the commonest 

 mammals of the Cranberry Lake district, — three were caught in 

 one night at the Camp in a figure-four box trap, — but I could not 

 see that the raccoons molested any of the many nests occupied by 

 bird families in the surrounding woods and clearings. Porcupines 

 and woodchucks were also numerous but apparently entirely harm- 

 less to birds. Eaton ('io, p. 234) brands the mink as a "most in- 

 veterate nest-robber." As to the marten, probably scarce in the 

 lumbered districts today, Stone and Cram ('10, p. 243) say that 

 " martens kill all sorts of birds and animals indiscriminately." Of 

 the skunk they say nothing definite in this respect, but this animal 

 will no doubt take what it finds in nests built on the ground; and 

 fortunately it is not numerous in the western Adirondacks. Finally, 

 Stone and Cram accuse the white-footed mouse, which is fairly 

 common in this region, as follows ('10, p. 132) : " In summer 

 they appropriate the nests of songbirds, in bushes and low trees, 

 fitting them up for use, just as squirrels do those of Hawks and 

 Crows. It appears probable, moreover, that they are not over- 

 scrupulous in the matter of waiting for the rightful owners to 

 depart before taking possession, as they are great lovers of fresh 

 meat, and have often been caught in the act of devouring both 

 egg's and young birds." 



Predacious Birds. Birds of prey are not common in the Adiron- 

 dack mixed forest. I saw at Cranberry Lake only the Bald Eagle. 

 Fish Hawk. Marsh Hawk and Broad-winged Hawk, none of which 

 molests nesting birds. The Great Horned Owl was reported to me 

 as living in the woods at Barber Point, but it certainly is not com- 

 mon. The Owl, with the Goshawk, the Sharp-shinned Hawk and 

 Cooper's Hawk, are the recognized enemies of the birds, and all are 

 too rare to be reckoned as important in that locality. This scai'city 



