Bird Studies in Lorain County, Ohio. 43 



February, served only to hold the winter birds from drifting 

 north. There was not sufficient snow to cover their food. 



During the winter of 1896-7 there was little snow at first, 

 but severe cold in the Lake Superior region during the first 

 week in December, and snows there, drove many northern 

 birds southward, bringing into this region the usual winter 

 fauna at the beginning of the winter. 



January, 1897, opened like spring, but became snow-bound 

 on the 5th, and only succeeded in releasing itself on the 17th 

 in a thunder-storm. This release was followed, two days 

 later, by the severest weather of the winter, reaching 16 

 below zero on the 25th; the month closing below zero. The 

 strong contrast between January and February induced some 

 of the hardier birds to move northward by the 17th of 

 February, thus closing the winter. The temperature hardly 

 fell below freezing after the first week of February. 



The winter of 1897-8 did not fairly begin before the mid- 

 dle of December. There was just cold and snow enough dur- 

 ing the last days of November and the first days of Decem- 

 ber to settle the somewhat frothy bird population, but not 

 enough to drive any birds from the north down to us. The 

 remaining days of December caused no changes in the bird 

 population, because there was not enough snow to cover the 

 food, nor long continued cold. 



January, 1898, presented no interesting features except a 

 thunder-storm on the 12th. There was much warm weather, 

 but it came too early to have much influence upon the birds 

 south of us. Severe cold in the Lake Superior region, about 

 the 13th and 29th, tended to hold the birds steady in this 

 region. February began severely cold and with snow, be- 

 came spring-like during the second week, and was cold, for 

 the month, the remaining days. The winter was not severe 

 enough to bring us any unusual birds, nor to drive the 

 Mourning Doves and Meadowlarks south. 



Winter began, 1898-9, on November 23d, with snow and 

 cold. Snow during the first and se:ond weeks of Decem- 

 ber, and severe cold during the second week made the birds 



