Bird Studies in Lorain County, Ohio. 47 



when they do visit us. There is this to be said, however. 

 During mild weather, especially when the ground is not. 

 covered with snow, fewer species are to be met in the river 

 gorges and more of them are scattered over the uplands. 

 The protection which these gorges offer is clearly the in- 

 fluence which calls the birds to lodge there. Other things 

 being equal, food is more abundant and easier to get upon 

 the uplands. 



Let us turn, now, to the numbers of individuals which are 

 more or less regularly found along these five routes during 

 the winter days. It will not be interesting to treat each of 

 them separately, but rather give the totals for all of 

 the routes, with the deductions that may follow. In these 

 totals of individuals let it be understood that they are. 

 averages for the five years of study, of all of the notes 

 taken together ending January 15, 1902. For some of the 

 more unusual resident species this amounts to a pretty 

 accurate census, since they are found in a few localities only, 

 but with those species which range over considerable terri- 

 tory in their quest for food, it is merely an average, of those 

 recorded during the several trips. It is useful as a guide 

 t3 the haunts of the species, and serves to illustrate the 

 relative abundance of the species as compared with others: 

 The species, with -their average numbers and a few remarks 

 upon their mode and places of occurrence, follow. 



American Herring Gull, 17; found on the lake only. 



American Merganser, 10; on the lake only, and usually 

 absent in late winter. 



Red-breasted Merganser, 4; see the last species. 



Mallard, 3; on the lake, and rather irregular in winter. 



Old- squaw, too variable to assign numbers. Sometimes 

 many winter on the lake. 



Ruffed Grouse, not seen for three years, formerly found at 

 Chance Creek. 



Bob-white, 95; a small flock in almost every brushy 

 pasture. Increasing. 



