CATALOGUE OF THE BIEUS OF OHIO. 
i 
BY J. M. WHEATON, OF COLUMBUS. 
(From the Ohio Agricultural Report for 1860.^ 
M%0 
In the year 1833, Prof. Kirtland, then State Zoologist and Botanist, prepared 
a Catalogue of Ohio Birds which was considered very nearly complete. Since 
that time, however, by the observations of several scientific men, among whom 
no one has been more enthusiastic or successful than Prof. Kirtland himself, new 
species have been discovered and others added to our fauna. Some which were 
then rare are now common. Many then common have now retired from our limits, 
or ai-e very rare. 
These recent observations have never, to our knowledge, appeared in tangible 
form ; and it is for the purpose of presenting a brief and concise view of our birds 
that this catalogue is published. It is not pretended that it is entirely complete. 
No species have been inserted but on good authority ; several which might have 
been inserted on implied authority are given in a subsequent list. 
We have adopted the classification and nomenclature of Prof. Baird in his 
^ifeport on North American Birds, (Pacific R. R. Exploring Expedition, vol. IX), 
with the exception that the authors of genera are indicated, at the same time giving 
credit to the one describing the species under the given specific name. This 
method, while it is not in accordance with the rules of either cliss of synoymists, 
has the advantage that it combines some of the merits of both, and in a catalogue 
of this kind, strict adherance to disputed rules may be avoided for the advant.age 
gained. 
The phy.sical geography of this State and its surroundings determine the distri- 
bution of the birds in a manner worthy of notice. Having no sea coast, our State 
is never visited by strictly marine birds. Its northern boundary being a'ong the 
Lake, the weather is more moderate in that vicinity in winter than in other localities 
of the same latitude. Hence, northern birds do not penetrate far into the Slate in 
winter. The Ohio river seems to form a more distinct boundary to the migrations 
of southern birds in summer than it does in States more particularly in the 
