180 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 101 



become the property of the city and may be used as a Bird 

 Sanctuary for all time to come. Its close location to the 

 central portion of the city makes it a most desirable place 

 to preserve for future time as a Sanctuary. 



Early in the spring I began making trips to the Pond and 

 keeping a list of my observations. And that others may know^ 

 something of the variety of bird-life about it, I have here 

 given a list of the birds identified within the two months 

 of April and May, 1917. Several species which I observed 

 a block or so in from the Pond, I have included in this 

 list, as there are others which I did not list there, but wliich 

 undoubtedly were there and missed. The goldfinches, for 

 example, were migrating on May 27, and were observed in 

 flocks of great numbers not far from the Pond, but I have 

 never seen a goldfinch sufficiently near to include it on this 

 list. Of course it must be borne in mind that other birds, 

 which come later in the season, and the winter birds 

 will not appear in this list. And when you consider that this 

 is only the observations of two months, I think the reader 

 will agree with me that the place is well worthy of preser- 

 vation. The name has been chang'ed from Schneider's Pond, 

 named from an early owner, to the Willow Pond Bird Sanc- 

 tuary. I have listed quite a number of species here which I 

 have never listed before. The black tern is one of this class. 

 Purple martins, two years ago during the migrating season 

 in the spring, came in flocks and stayed for a few days about 

 our store awnings on Main Street. The street was fairly 

 alive with their chattering. Many started nests near the awn- 

 ings, but when the awnings were rolled up and down the 

 nests were destroyed, and all left in a few days. Never since 

 that time have I seen any numbers here. Last year (1916) 

 I only saw a few in the spring around the Illinois Central 

 depot, and this year, for one day, I saw quite a number at 

 the Pond ; a day or so after I saw one, and have not seen one 

 here since. Towhees I have never seen before this year, but 

 have several listed this time ; also the Florida Galiinule. The 

 warblers were unusually numerous this year, as were also 



