THE AUK : 



A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF 

 ORNITHOLOGY. 



Vol. xxiv. April, 1907. No. 2. 



ORNITHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN NORTHEASTERN 

 ILLINOIS, WITH NOTES ON SOME WINTER BIRDS. 



BY JOHN F. FERRY. 



In the extreme northeastern corner of Illinois lies a region of 

 unusual interest to the ornithologist. Between the years 1853 

 and 1873 it was thoroughly explored by Robt. Kennicott, E. W T . 

 Nelson, and F. T. Jencks, as well as by resident ornithologists, 

 and it has furnished many an interesting bird note for northern 

 Illinois. Of late years it has been almost totally ignored, possibly 

 through the natural supposition that the rapid settlement of the 

 surrounding country had completely changed its character. As 

 a matter of fact, it remains to-day essentially in its primitive con- 

 dition. The cause is obvious; the land is practically worthless 

 save for one purpose, that of manufacturing sites. In all proba- 

 bility many years will elapse before the thriving industries of 

 Waukegan, the county seat immediately south, will occupy the 

 whole region. Two causes, one for the better, the other for the 

 worse, have made such changes as now exist. The one is the 

 marked improvement of the land through the planting of trees, 

 the other is the partial draining of the swamps. The former is one 

 of great interest, not alone to the ornithologist but to the forester 

 and horticulturist as well. The propagation of many varieties of 

 forest trees was carried on by some local nurserymen on such an 

 extensive scale and in so intelligent a manner that it created a wide 

 interest among nurserymen generally and among those who had 

 the problem to solve of beautifying or reclaiming from practical 



