58 A Door-yard List From Morton Park, Ii,l. 



tree nor shrub of any kind. To-day there is a comparatively 

 small area containing trees or shrubs that amount to anything. 

 Four blocks square will cover the bird field, except the prairie 

 birds, for there is open prairie nearly all around us. The 

 nearest timber of any importance lies along the Des Plaines 

 River, about four miles west of Morton Park. 



About half a mile north is a section of land, largely va- 

 cant, partiall}' surrounded by a belt of trees, some of which 

 are of good size. On the north and east of this tract the 

 trees are planted so as to make a wide belt; on the south and 

 west the}' are planted in a double row. The trees are princi- 

 pally box elders, soft maples, cotton wood, silver poplar, and 

 balm of gilead. 



In our little yard, and in front of it, are, altogether, ten 

 Carolina poplars and cottonwoods, all about ten years old. 

 These trees are very prolific in insect life, and with the profu- 

 sion of vines — Virginia creeper, bitter sweet, nightshade — it 

 may be readily understood why we have been favored with so- 

 many "callers" during the spring and fall migration. We 

 have always had the prairie birds, Meadowlarks, Horned 

 Larks, Bobolinks, Dickcissels, quite a variety of Sparrows, 

 and occasionally Bob-white, in the vacant fields around us. 



Five or six years ago we first began to notice the 

 migrants, and of course had to have a bird book Mabel 

 Osgood Wright's Bird Craft proved a great help, and was 

 in constant use for two years, when we discovered Chapman's 

 Hand-Book, since then we have never failed to identif}' any 

 newcomer. We scarcely ever have to refer to the book now, 

 because we have become quite intimately acquainted with most 

 of the residents and transient visitors. With the exception 

 of the prairie birds, very few nest in Morton Park. Those 

 that do are Robin, Bluebird, Chimney Swift, Chipping Spar- 

 row and Yellow Warbler. 



The first pair of Robins nested under a porch roof, within 

 a few feet of the front door of a large residence. When the 

 old gentleman who owned the house discovered the nest, he 

 locked the door and allowed none to use it until the young 

 birds were nearly full-fledged. On the second of March, this 

 year, a flock of fourteen Robins made their appearance, evi- 

 dently the descendants of the pair mentioned above. 



