ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. O 



three distinct fauna? represented in our State : The Boreal in the north, which includes our 

 Northern Peninsula and the northern part of the Southern Peninsula; the Transition, 

 which occupies nearly all of the Southern Peninsula and reaches slightly into Indiana 

 and Ohio; and the Upper Sonoran, which though mostly to the south of us, reaches into 

 the southeastern and southwestern corners of the State. Thus we meet in Michigan 

 many birds peculiar to the far north, and others that dwell for the most part in the 

 states and countries south of us, even reaching to or beyond the gulf. The first are 

 i llustrated in the Bohemiam Wax-wing, the Spruce Partridge, the Canada Jay and the 

 Pine Grosbeak; while the Summer Red Bird, the Mocking Bird and the Cardinal Red 

 Bird illustrate the second group. The large lakes attract to us many birds that are 

 visually maritime, like the gulls and the terns; while in southern Michigan, with its 

 prairies and woodlands both widely distributed, we get the prairie fauna, illustrated in 

 the Pinnated Grouse, as well as those birds which are most at home in the forests of 

 wooded areas, like most of the thrushes and the warblers. This accounts for the very 

 large list of woodland warblers which we find in our state. 



The following birds have been reported from Michigan, but after as full inquiry as I 

 am able to make, I do not feel warranted in admitting them to this list: Sula bassana, 

 Anhinga anhinga, Camptolaimus labradorius, Somateria mollissima boreallis, Ardea 

 coerulea, Nycticorax violaceus, Rallus lon^irostris crepitans, Tringa maritima, Pavon- 

 cella pugnax, Hsematopus palliatus, Jacana spinosa, Dendragapus franklinii, Sayornis 

 saya, Quiscalus quiscula, Acanthis hornemanii exilipes, Milvulus tyrannus, Ammodra- 

 mus leconteii, Dendroica dominica, Sitta pusilla, Parus carolinensis, and Sialia arctica. 

 There are a few more that seem to be of very doubtful occurrence in our State, but I 

 do not feel warranted in excluding them, but have expressed doubt as to their belong- 

 ing to our Michigan fauna in the text. 



I have appended to this introduction, not only as complete a bibliography as my time 

 and resources would permit, but also our " Michigan Bird Laws,'' which are usually 

 excellent, and very wholesome in their influence. 



In the text I have recorded such facts regarding the food habits of our birds as will 

 enable every one to judge of the economic importance of the various species. Where 

 possible, as it is in most cases, I have given the food habits of the entire family and 

 omitted a mention of them in speaking of the separate species. 



It will be observed that I have secured records from the southern part of the state 

 from Messrs. Boies, Trombley and Simmons; from the southern central from Messrs. 

 Purdy, Steere and Gibbs; from the central, from Messrs. Atkins, Brownell, White, 

 Moseley, etc.; from the north central, from Professor Satterlee and others; from the 

 northern extremity of the southern peninsufa, from Messrs. Leach, White, Boise. 

 Osborn, etc., and from the northern peninsula, from Messrs. White, Boise, Brewster, 

 Kumlein, Kneeland and others. Thus the observations, most of them continued for a 

 long series of years, and made by trained observers have covered pretty thoroughly the 

 entire State. . 



