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Birds of Allegany and Garrett Counties, Western Maryland

1904; Oxford University Press; Volume: 21; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/4070046

1938-4254

Fire effects on ecosystems

THE topography and physiography of the two westernmost counties of Maryland are very complex and interesting, and accordingly the faunal and floral life-zones and areas are correspondingly complex and interesting.The lowest point that I can find on the beautiful maps lately published by the Maryland Geological Survey is 500 feet above sea level.This is in the extreme southeastern corner of Allegany County, on the Potomac River, and is the only point so low in the section under consideration.From this the elevation rises at many places very rapidly.to 2500-3000 feet and attains the greatest height, 3400 feet, on the summit of the Great Backbone Mountain in the southwest corner of Garrett County and of the State.Cumberland is 800 feet, Frostburg, both in Allegany County, 2000 feet, rising rapidly to the top of the Big Savage Mountain, on whose side it lies, to 3000 feet.Oakland, Accident, and Finzel, Garrett County, lie in the broad glades and basin between the high ridges, all being 2400 to 2600 feet in elevation.These higher ridges, such as the Backbone, Big and Little Savage, Negro, Meadow, and Dan's Mountains, the last with Dan's Rock, from which a sublime view is to be had, are 2800 to 3400 feet high.The lower parts, of which Garrett County has next to none, are in the Upper Austral or Carolinian life-zone, as is plainly to be seen by birds like the Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, and Bluebird being permanent residents, and by trees like the tulip tree (Lzriodendron tulipifera), sassafras (S. sassafras), dogwood (Cornus florida), and black gum (JVyssa sylvatica).The 1Since Maryland is very narrow in its western part, being at Cumberland only five miles, and as many of these observations have been made along the two boundaries of the State -the Potomac River on the one side and the Mason and Dixon line on the other -and have been frequently corroborated on the other side of each, this list holds good also for the adjoining part of West Virginia and for Somerset County, Pennsylvania.