THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. \^ 



there are rich broad fields with ridges of timber, and several large 

 rivers, the Illinois, the Ohio, and the Mississippi, which tend to 

 lead the birds to us. Combining as we do, to a greater or less 

 extent, the characteristics of the western plains, the southern 

 swamps, and the eastern characteristics as well as boreal effects, 

 many Arctic and maritime species are found at times within our 

 limits. 



Then again a large portion of our area, lying in a great basin 

 formed by the old lake beaches and the wooded hills of Lake 

 and DuPage Counties, the temperature influenced by that of Lake 

 Michigan, forms what might be called a wind harbor causing 

 at times a perfect deluge of migrating birds. Several times in 

 the past twelve or more years such birds as the Painted Long- 

 spurs and Snowflakes, birds which only casually visit us, have 

 appeared in countless numbers and have stayed with us often 

 as late as the seventh of May. I obtained specimens of Smith's 

 Longspur (Cakarius pictus) in almost full breeding plumage 

 on the fifth of May, 1896. 



During especially severe winters a number of northern spe- 

 cies, such as Crossbills, Bohemian Waxwings, and Evening Gros- 

 beaks, arrive in large numbers to spend several weeks in our cli- 

 mate, which seems to be an attraction for them. Much more 

 time is spent by these birds with us, apparently, than in the 

 regions lying outside of our area. I believe that the reason for 

 this is the temperate basin, which I have spoken of as a wind 

 harbor, and the influences of Lake Michigan. 



SOME EXISTING CONDITIONS OPPOSED TO THE 



BIRDS. 



As our territory becomes more thickly populated each year, 

 the struggle for existence among our wild birds to remain and 

 breed in their old haunts is really pitiful. The most secluded spots 

 on our smaller streams and marshes are often fairly crowded 

 with the nests of the poor birds which in years past were 

 spread over a large territory. If the unscrupulous collectors are 

 not restrained the species which I mention below will disappear 

 entirely from our area. In 1891, hundreds of Black Terns (Hy- 

 drochelidon nigra surinamensis) nested along the shores of Calu- 

 met Lake, Hyde Lake, and the feeders of the Desplaines River. 

 Today it would be difficult to find one of these birds nesting 



