principally grown on the higher plateaus. The timber, while greatly thinned from its original abundance, 
is in several localities still standing in quite its primeval condition. Such tracts are now frequented by 
the Ruffed Grouse, but the Wild Turkey, once extremely plentiful, has not been seen for nearly fifteen 
years. The common trees are the oak, hickory, ash, walnut, maple, cherry, buckeye, and, in the bottoms, 
sycamore and willow. The underbrush is. principally hazel, blackberry, briers, pawpaw, haw, and various 
kinds of saplings. 
Although the county contains no hills, its surface is relieved of the monotony of level ground by 
the valley of the Scioto and the valleys of the numerous creeks which traverse it. Several small ponds, 
the largest containing less than fifteen acres, also add variety and increase perceptibly the number of 
summer-resident birds. 
The climate of Pickaway County, situated, as it is, near the center of the State, may be taken as 
an average of that of the entire State. Spring is usually reckoned from the first of March, though this 
month seldom affords many spring-like days. In 1885, on the 7th of March, the ground was covered 
with snow, the ponds contained ice a foot thick, and the river was gorged with great blocks of ice for 
miles. Frequently even in April snow occurs, and once, within ten years, oh the 26tli of May the 
ground was frozen hard. Usually, however, the frogs begin their croaking, and the turtles emerge from 
their muddy winter quarters, about the last of March, and by the first week of April the grass shows 
green about the meadow springs. In the summer the temperature is often excessive, the mercury 
reaching in the shade from 90° to 98° Fahrenheit. The hottest and dryest month of the year is August. 
In June and July an uncomfortably cold wave dominates occasionally for days, necessitating a fire in the 
houses in the evening to keep their occupants warm. The same months often witness heavy rains, 
causing the rivers and creeks to overflow, and consequently greatly damaging the crops of the low land. 
These extremes of temperature and rain-fall play havoc among the birds, the cold and wet not only 
killing the young of many species, but even the parents themselves, accustomed to tropical climates, 
either die or are driven south. The fall, beginning with September, is the most delightful season of the 
whole year, and probably can not be surpassed in beauty by any climate of the world. The being is 
indeed a mental sluggard, who is not moved by the daily changes wrought in leaf and feather during 
this kaleidoscopic period. The winter, occasionally very mild, so mild that ice sufficient for summer use 
is not produced, is usually of considerable severity. Alternating freezing and thawing weather with snow 
is common ; while at intervals of a few years bitter cold and heavy snow storms are experienced. At 
these times the mercury falls below zero, having once recently reached — 28°, and the snow blockades the 
thoroughfares of the town and countiy. Surrounded by every necessity and many luxuries, having warm 
houses and suitable clothing to withstand cold and storm, we nevertheless suffer from these severe 
winters, and welcome with outstretched hands the first flowers of the year. How much dearer to the 
hardy tribe of feathered residents must be the first warm air of spring. They are exposed to all the 
hardships of the time. They labor for months during day-time for a scanty sustenance, while at night, 
often stiffened with cold, they slumber to the monotonous sighing of the forest trees. Do you wonder, 
kind reader, that April should bring joy to hearts of our resident birds. 
* 
The Smithsonian Catalogue of North American Birds, published in 1881, contains 761 species; of 
these 292 have been found at various times within the limits of Ohio. The number of species which 
breed in the State is, however, very much smaller, amounting to but 129, or, if the probable summer- 
residents are counted, to 171. The species which are found may be .divided into at least four classes. 
1st. The species which rear their young here. These may or may not winter elsewhere. — Summer- 
residents. 
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