270 NATURAL HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA, 



Mr. Foster, during that period, being at Mount Pleasant, in 

 Ohio. In the third part, (see p. 199, Vol. V.') the journey is 

 continued thus — Philadelphia, Wilmington, Philadelphia; then 

 over the Alleghany mountains to Pittsburgh ; thence down the 

 Ohio to Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Shawnee Town ; 

 thence over land by Carmi, Wanborough, &c. to St. Louis, on 

 the Mississippi, and up that river to Alton. — Editor.] 



Chapter IV. 



[From Alton up the Illinois River, &c. to Chicago, on Lake Michigan ; then 

 through Lakes Michigan, Huron, St. Clair, and Erie, to Buffiilo, Niagara, and 

 thence to Trenton Falls.] 



Leaving Alton, we ascended the Mississippi in a steamer, 

 and met with sundry flocks of parrots, a sight truly novel and 

 delightful to me ; they look most beautiful. After the j uiction 

 with the Missouri, there was little of interest till we entered the 

 Illinois river. This is a clear lake-like stream, with generally 

 low wooded banks, for the first 150 miles. The woods were 

 very beautiful, especially as they were now assuming their 

 autumnal tints. The water was really covered with ducks and 

 geese ; there were numbers of wood ducks {Dendronessa sponsa) 

 on the trees and also in the water ; falcons, ospreys, and har- 

 riers were sailing over head, and king-fishers were skimming 

 along the banks. 



As we proceeded up the river, 'there began occasionally to 

 appear a little bit of prairie, or pe-rairle, as it is here pro- 

 nounced : though its banks are wooded in general, yet the 

 wood extends a short distance from the water, sometimes less 

 than half a mile. The trees are very fine. We passed various 

 rising towns, as Peoria, finely situated on the west bank, and ano- 

 ther town of equal importance, on high ground, on the east bank. 

 We of course passed a few cities which we could not see, for 

 the trees were not yet cut ; some were more conspicuous, con- 

 taining one, or perhaps two, log huts. Before dusk we reached 

 Peru, a place which will undoubtedly be of importance some 

 day, being situated at the termination of the canal from Chicago. 

 This canal is now in progress, but it will probably be three or 

 four years before it is complete. 



•= No. XXII. 



