THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 63 
Bird Notes from Trailside Museum 
By Mary Cooper Back 
‘Trailside Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences and the Cook 
County Forest Preserves, at Thatcher Road and Chicago Avenue, spon- 
sored about thirty-five conducted bird walks during the spring migration, 
and about fifteen in the fall as well as classes in bird study for Boy 
Scouts and Girl Scouts. A group of twenty-five boys came every Saturday 
at six A. M., rain or shine, from the middle of April to the first of June. 
Almost everyone completed his list of forty species observed in the field, 
his observations on the habits of twenty insectivorous birds, and other 
requirements. 
The skin collection of the Museum bids fair to become a sort of acci- 
dent record for birds of the region. No collecting has been done for the 
Museum, yet we have now about 300 skins, representing about 60 species. 
Each skin belonged originally to a sick or crippled bird, or one found dead, 
killed by some accident. They have been brought by almost as many people 
as there are specimens. In keeping with the informality and accessibility of 
the whole institution, the skin collection is available for use by any student, 
on application at the desk. 
When a sick or crippled bird is brought in, the first thought is to save 
it, so that it may be freed again. Many have been so freed, when their minor 
hurts have healed, and have flown off, bearing upon a leg a numbered 
aluminum band from the Biological Survey. Some few, too badly injured 
to release, yet in no pain, and friendly in captivity, have been retained as 
pets. Such are the blinded Virginia Rail, a Coot, pinioned by a shot, and a 
Hermit Thrush and Robin with broken wings which healed a little crooked. 
Some, of course, must te killed, and many are brought to us already dead. 
The Junior Staff of the Museum still carries on. The boys have 
helped with many exhibits, have learned to prepare specimens, and have 
guided parties in the field. “The ones most interested in bird study, and 
doing the most worthwhile work in it, are James von der Heydt, Robert 
Allen, and Jack Smith. Of the increasing number of adults informally 
associated with the Museum, Mrs. Theron Wasson, Alberta Choate, and 
Merrill McGawn have done most to make it a success. 
Birds have been abundant this year; the prime difficulty is to eliminate. 
It is impossible, in the space at our disposal, to recount one-tenth of the 
interesting and significant experiences we had. 
An unique day was May 10, the day of our worst dust-storm. “The 
sky was yellow and opaque, the sun was dim and hot, and a dust-weighted 
wind roared out of the west. All birds sought shelter. “Chree of us were 
lucky enough to find one spot which was shelter for many. West of the 
outlet of the slough back of the Museum is a dense thicket of small black 
willows, backed by a rank of hawthorns and of tall elms. All this formed 
