In God's Acre 83 



became so tame that they paid no attention to the curious 

 people who watched their swimming and diving feats. A 

 female blue-bill duck came into the Graceland pond one 

 morning and was so pleased with the situation that she stayed 

 for two weeks. Before the blue-bill left it was possible to 

 approach within a few yards of her without causing her either 

 to dive or to dart away. 



Seven small herons dropped down to the edge of the 

 cemetery pond one day and when startled by approaching 

 footsteps, they flew to the island and perched on one of the 

 willows. There they drew their heads down into their shoulders 

 and stood motionless. It has always been a matter of regret 

 that those herons were not positively identified. The green 

 heron is a much more abundant bird than is his little blue 

 cousin. It was a dark day when the birds were seen, and as 

 there was no way of reaching the island, distance forbade 

 certain identification. A fellow bird-lover, whose opinion 

 carries treble the weight of mine, was almost willing to say 

 positively, "Little blue herons." Probably they were, but 

 neither of us has dared to add the name of the bird to our 

 Chicago lists. 



I give herewith a list of the birds that probably nest every 

 year in the Chicago cemeteries. In many instances the nests 

 have been found, and in the other cases the birds have either 

 been seen with young or have been found to be resident during 

 the breeding season: Robin, flicker, red-headed woodpecker, 

 chickadee, kingbird, phcebe, wood pewee, least fly catcher, 

 bronzed grackle, rose-breasted grosbeak, song sparrow, chip- 

 ping sparrow, vesper sparrow, catbird, brown thrasher, yel- 

 low warbler, redstart, red-eyed vireo, wood thrush, bluebird, 

 house wren, bluejay, indigo bird, Baltimore oriole, orchard 



