idee) DU GINS Wel, Bley ZA 

seems almost incredible. The acquiring of the land adjacent to Mud 
Lake by the Forest Preserve Commissioners and the Drainage Board, 
has automatically continued it as a wild life sanctuary, so that, barring a 
few concession and shelter buildings, bird lovers may for years to come 
find here ideal natural conditions attractive to resident and migrating 
birds. 
We may wonder with good reason, if, among the pioneers there may 
not have been some who marvelled at the abundance of bird life. 
That the voyageurs depended on wild pigeons, ducks, geese and wild 
turkeys for food we know, as it is so recorded in their “‘relacions.’”’ But 
that they gave particular attention to the myriads of smaller birds, 
except perhaps to wonder at their number, is not likely. 
For three years past the Illinois Audubon Society has made pilgrim- 
ages to this historic region on the Saturday nearest the middle of the 
month of May, rain or shine, and at no time have the birds failed to be 
present and answer to roll call. 
Conditions are still ideal for “stop over privileges,” and warblers, 
flycatchers, vireos, shorebirds, blackbirds, coots, rails, thrushes, cardi- 
nals, sparrows, wrens, and overhead gulls and terns, seldom fail us. 
In 1926 a lone osprey very obligingly gave an exhibition flight over 
the Des Plaines, remaining long enough so that all might see. 
Small flights of ducks, black-crowned night herons, an occasional 
double crested cormorant, the Carolina wren, the redbellied woodpecker 

Photograph by Orpheus Moyer Schantz 
