122 Ferry, Notes on Winter Birds. [js^i 



worthlessness large areas of barren, sandy, or otherwise sterile 

 regions. 



The proprietor of the R. Douglass Son's Nursery, Waukegan, 

 was the one who carried on this praiseworthy w T ork. An added 

 element of interest in the present connection is that the sons of the 

 proprietor, then young men, w 7 ere all active ornithologists. They 

 furnished many valuable notes to the ornithological w r riters of that 

 time, and it gives me pleasure to again bring to notice the name of 

 Mr. Thomas H. Douglass, a collecting companion of E. W. Nel- 

 son, w T ho has kindly given me the early history of the region herein 

 described. This project of reforestation included the purchase of 

 over 600 acres of sandy barren land in 1873, and the planting 

 thereon during the succeeding 15 years or so, of over 200,000 

 trees. The following species were represented: balsam fir (Abies 

 balsamea), balsam fir (Abies fraseri), Norway spruce (Picea ex- 

 celsa), white spruce (Picea alba), Norw 7 ay pine (Pinus resinosa), 

 white pine (Pinus strobus), Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), Austrian 

 pine (Pinus austriaca), Swiss mountain pine (Pinus mug hus), table 

 nut pine (Pinus pingeus), European larch (Larix europea), Amer- 

 ican larch (Larix americana), arbor- vitse (Thuya occidentalis) , yel- 

 low birch (Betula luted), black birch (Betula lenta), catalpa (Catalpa 

 speciosa), red ash (Fraxinus pubescens), white ash (F. americana) , 

 green ash (F. viridis), mountain ash (Sorbus americana), European 

 alder (Alnus glutinosus), chestnut (Casianea dentata), beech-nut 

 (Fagus americana), walnut (Juglans nigra), hickory (ijTicoria sp ?), 

 and several species of oaks (Quercus). The w r ork was done with 

 surprisingly little expense. The surplus of each year's nursery 

 supply was taken to the spot, and the seedlings placed in narrow 

 furrows made with the plow 7 in the damp sand. Here the success- 

 ful species grew with little further care. The experiment proved 

 an interesting illustration of the survival of the fittest. Most of 

 the species tried died, but, profiting by experience, the experi- 

 menters planted during the succeeding years only the hardier 

 varieties. The result to-day, after 30 years have elapsed, are two 

 long tracts of sturdy Scotch pine, with an occasional European 

 larch, or white pine. This artificial forest is one of absorbing 

 interest to the ornithologist. It stands conspicuous in the desola- 

 tion of marsh and sand dune, and is unique in a region where 



