Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 60

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 60

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In 1903, Lient. King was promoted to the rank of Navigating Officer of the Battalion, and John F. Garner. elected Lieutenant ; S. C. Strauss, Lieutenant, junior grade, and Win. Thesen and Win. C. Powers, Ensigns.

During the summer of 1904, Lient. Garner took a part of the division to the World's Fair at St. Louis, going down in the 30-ft. eutter, and later the whole Hlinois Naval Reserve spent a week at the fair.

During the past winter, Ensign Powers was transferred to Chicago, and Chester Anderson elected to fill the vacancy.

The Division is now in a very prosperous condition, having about seventy-five members. Garner has proven to be a very careful and efficient officer, and has kept the personnel and the record of the division up to a very high standard. Other Quiney men who have served in the Illinois Naval Reserves are Lieutenant Commander C. S. Hickman, executive office, 2nd ship's crew : Lient. A. M. Simons, naviga- tor, 2nd ship's crew ; Rev. E. A. Ince, chaplain ; M. S. Cabbel, chief engineer, and Dr. L. B. Ashton, surgeon.

COMPANY 1 (COLORED).

Company I. 8th regiment Infantry Illinois Volunteers, Col. John R. Marshall, which was under command of Captain Frederick Ball, Jr., was enrolled at Quincy, June 28, 1898, and mustered in at Springfield, Illinois, July 21, 1898. They left Springfield August 8. 1898, proceeded by rail to New York City, arriving there August 11, 1898. Embarked on board the U. S. Ship Yale, arriving at Santiago, Cuba, August 16. They thence proceeded by rail to San Luis de Cuba, where they performed Provost duty until March 10, when they were ordered back to Santiago. Embarking on the Steamer Sedgwick for Newport News, they ar- rived there March 16, 1899. They were mus- tered ont. April 3, 1899. The regiment to which this company belonged was the only one com- manded by colored officers in the service of the United States.

CHAPTER LIV.

THE BIRDS OF ADAMS COUNTY.

By C. L. Kraber.

It is our design to present only short sketches of most of the one hundred birds of this conn- ty, noticed from its organization to the present time. Instead of using technical terms to fully

describe them, common or local names will be used for the better understanding of the gen- eral reader. We do not propose to keep to the beaten path but will go off into the brush more or less frequently just for the pleasure of the wild abandon of it all.

In the early days the Mississippi bottoms, above and below Quiney, contained great num- bers of Paroquets, or Paroquites, really a small green parrot. It would seem that they passed away with the Indians, as they were still here when the red men passed through the town, going and coming for the annuities they re- ceived from the government at that time, about 1810 Got long after this the birds were not to be seen. It is said that they were in greater numbers south of town than elsewhere. The Indians usually camped there also. It is not supposed that the birds are extinct, for they are tropical, and are probably still plentiful in warmer latitudes, having taken their de- parture from here for a locality more to their liking.

Wild Museovy Dneks, much larger than the mallards, were often secured at an early day. but it is thought that none have been seen for fifty years. Very rarely do we find the black dnek, only three of them having been taken during that time.

The Green lead Mallard is now the game dnek of the open season, and it is a splendid bird for the table, as are also the pintail, blue and green winged teal, spoonbill, butter hall, brown head, fish duck, blue bill, or seaup, and a number of others, equally delightfully to the sportsman. The beautifully plumaged summer duck, once so plentiful, is also gone.

A new and peculiar large Diver, as vet un. named, has made an appearance, flying in pairs: its Hesh is too fishy in flavor for food. The Little Diver, which has been here for so many years that the hunters have learned the uselessness of wasting ammunition, because it invariably dives before the shot can reach it. is still in evidence.

The Blue Coot, a bird with a bill like a chicken, a frequenter of shallow water lakes. not web footed, has left for other shores, or has been destroyed. They were quite common and tame some years ago.

Another fine bird, the Pineated Woodpecker, called "Woodcock" but not related to the woodrock of the snipe family, almost black in color, with a small red tuft on its head, is prob- ably extinct. The writer, when immature in years and experience, made a strenuous effort to add to its extinction by following one from tree to tree for a long distance through the woods at Fox Springs (Dick Springs), forty years ago, but fortunately he was unsuccessful

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in his endeavors to secure it, and has not seen one since. It is very nearly if not quite ex- tinet. So says "The Citizen Bird," a book used as a text in the schools of new England.

The old reliable Red Headed Woodpecker is an active worker, and stops the career of thou- sands of insects, in the embryo state, from further developing into pests of the soil, and from adding to the discomfort of mankind. Flying from one tree to the other with its red head, and white marked wings, it is easily seen. It is not a wild bird, and can be studied at pleasure. His near relation, the "Yellow Ham- mer" or "flicker" or "the high roller," of E. P. Roe, is another bird to study with reference to habits, etc .. since they have many traits worthy of emulation, by the human family. The flicker and its mate will edge up to each other on the limb of a tree and go through more fantastic motions than any quixotic people. It would be hard to describe them, as they sit there, swinging back and forth in unison, their heads up and moving from side to side, and all the while chattering to each other something very interesting to themselves. At such times it does not take a very close observer to see that it is bird sentiment being expressed in its most amorous and innocent way. They mean every word they say, and lay it off so positively to one another that one can hardly help looking on and listening. and understanding just what they are talking about. It is interesting to have it made so plain that they are one in senti- ment and agree so well in their out of door domestic life.

The so-called Sap Suckers are really a kind of woodpecker. There are two kinds. probably more in this locality, large and small, marked very much alike. As near as can be seen, their manner of life is identical, pecking into dead trees and peering under the bark for eggs of insects and worms. Like the red head it ar- rives early in the spring, and at times remains all winter, for when it is quiet in the timber in winter, and outside nature seems almost de- void of life, one can hear the peeking of this woodpecker. Black Warblers and Wood Warblers look something like woodpeckers.

The flocks of blackbirds in the fall exceed in numbers those of any other birds, and they are on the increase. Sometimes the flocks string out in their flight for miles, taking nearly an hour to pass a given point. They make good use of their stay here, nesting and brooding. and do not seem to do much injury to the crops. The farmer folks do not exhibit any particular inclination to draw up preamble and resolu- tions against them, and not much ammunition is used to hinder their propagation. It is snp-

posed that they carry some grain away, but the idea is advanced that a good many bugs and worms go with the grain diet, for the plow man can, at any time look back along his riding plow's freshly turned furrow, and count more blackbirds than any other bird among the feathered tribes, picking up their portion of the underground population which the plow share turns over and exposes to view. The blackbird walks, like the crow, and does not hop. although it does sometimes "walk as the robins do." Sometimes with a Hoek there are blackbirds with perfectly white heads and necks, a sort of half albinos.

The Red Eyed Wild Pigeons up to the 60's, were in such vast numbers as to break down large branches of the trees upon which they alighted and in their migrating they had a con- tinuation of flight over Quincy, taking the course of the river bluffs in the spring and fall. The sun was sometimes darkened, as if clouds were passing over, the long massive line ex- tending into the woods north and south of the town, so that neither end of the line could be seen for hours. The last one observed was re- ported in a late bird book as having been seen at Lakeside Park, Chicago, and was supposed to have been shot before it got out of the city. Later, some were thought to have been seen in California, but the story was afterwards proven false. The "Penny Magazine," a very old publication in England, one of the books distributed to members of the Old Citizens' Library Association of Quincy, when it disbanded, prior to 1850, states that a traveler who was going from Naples to visit the ancient temples of Paestum was impressed by the appearance of tall, slender towers, not much unlike Turkish minarets, built on the mountain side near the town of La Cava. On inquiring into the use of towers, he was in- formed by the natives that in the months of September and October, when the wild pigeons were migrating, these towers were used to catch them. White stones were collected and men, armed with these stones were stationed in the towers: warned by a blowing of a cow's horn, of the direction the pigeons were taking. the men would sling the stones in front of the flocks. The birds would descend after the stones and fall into nets spread for them among the trees in the valleys, and many were caught in this way.

A few years ago some wild pigeons were said to be in the vicinity of Venice, but upon in- vestigation, they were found to be tame pigeons. Some give the cause of their rapid decrease as the loss of their proper food, the "mast." as it was called, of the forests. i. e.

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the acorns of the oak trees. It was seldom that small acorns were not found in the crop of the bird when shot. Others think they were swept out to sea, in flying aeross such large wastes of water during storms. Statements of all the bird books of authenticity intimate that the red eyed pigeons are extinet all over the world. Tame pigeons, common fan-tail, pouchers and others do not need any discussion here. Every boy and girl in town and country is familiar with tame pigeons and their habits.

The Sand Hill Cranes used to alight in the wheat fields regularly for food when making their migratory flight,-north in spring, when the fields were green, and south in fall, about wheat-sowing time. They stand nearly as tall as a man but they are never seen in this region any more.

A few seattering Hoeks of Pelicans with their fish-laden ponches, so far ahead of their wings that they look as if they would turn topsy- turvy at slight notice, make their flight as usual. but in not nearly so large numbers, nor do they comprise so many flocks as there were several years ago. This is the American White Pelican. Brown ones, very tame on Pacific Coast and frequently seen, swimming about the vessels, and making great splashes in the ocean in quest of fish, are smaller.

The flocks of Plovers, with nearly always a few Kildeer among them, still fly from sonth- west to northeast and back again across coun- try at the beginning and ending of the pleasant seasons. They were often taken for wild pigeons, since they appear to the casual ob- server to fly so much like them. Never very plentiful, they are growing less every year. The plover can swim, but is not considered a water bird. It has white flesh and is a fine eating bird.

The Kildeer is in form like the plover, but it is darker in color. It gets its name from its ery of "Kildeer." uttered at intervals when in flight. In the last decade. in our township. just five Prairie Chickens would show their presence at various times. And then there were two, and then none. Too bad ; what good com- pany they were not so very long ago, when the snow was on the ground, and the roads were eheerless, what a welcome sight to the country boy hauling wood or erops, to see the rail fences for many rods, often lined with these birds hundreds of them rising into the air from fence panel, and sailing deliberately off. whirring their wings, and then sailing withont an effort a little while, and then the whirr and the sail, over and over again, until a new corn- field entertained them to their satisfaction. The Prairie Chicken has dark meat. with the wild

favor, now much sought after, but seldom ap- preciated when they were so plentiful. Wild Havored meat was so common that many did not care to shoot the Prairie Chicken, on ac- count of the dark flesh, and it was not then considered a delicacy. The Prairie Chicken struts like a turkey gobbler when undisturbed among its kind, making a very peenliar roar- ing sound that may seem very near or very far away. At such time. two little wings on the side of the neck of the male rise perpendicular- ly above his head. Just underneath and where the little wings rest when in repose, the skin of the neck assumes a fiery red color when he goes through his strutting and crowing per- formance. When they existed here in flocks of two or three hundred, in the spring of the year, just after sunrise, the air was full of their buzzing or roaring sounds.

The "honks" of the Canada Wild Geese, as they followed their leader, an Amazon, in V shaped Hoeks, are now seldom heard. Lima Lake in this county was once a great resort for them. Their habit was to leave the lakes and river by hundreds before sunrise and settle down into the wheat and corn fields npon the bluffs and farther inland, until about ten o'clock in the morning. Then all would return to the river and lakes until about four o'elock in the afternoon when they would return to the fields and stay and feed until after dark, then go back to the water for the night with great noise. They were very regular about it until late in the fall and sometimes all winter if the weather was mild. Parboiled before baking, a wild goose is a delieaey, and very acceptable to any one because of the wild flavor. His black head and white marked throat are not often seen in the markets or elsewhere. They domesticate readily, and become quite tame, but when so, are only waiting to try their wings for a final goodbye. They are destined to early extinction.

The Brant, or Brand goose, and the China Goose, which is nearly white and smaller. but similar to our tame ones, migrated in flocks, visited the fields for food, and returned to the water in exactly the same manner as the wild goose proper. The Brant is much quieker in flight than the larger bird. The flesh is not considered nearly so good for the table. and often not fit to eat, on account of something eaten by them. Their habits are very similar to those of the wild goose.

The Wild Turkey can be distinguished from the tame ones, since the domesticated fowl have quite round eyes, while of those of the wild turkey are more elongated. No wild turkeys have been heard of in the locality for several

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years, and none have been shipped, showing the scarcity. In the days when they were numerous they were quite shy. but with time and patience and exceeding quiet they could be secured, by employing a turkey ealler, made from the bone of a wild turkey's wing. A goose quill will answer the same purpose very well. It has to be manipulated by the mouth of the hunter, and the success will depend on the skill of the one using it. Wild turkey are very speedy on foot, but never fly very far. Their flesh is very much the same as that of the tame turkey, and much songht for.

There are three of the Grossbeck family in this eounty, the Blue, the Red-breasted, and the Bullfineh. They are not old residents, but have been here several years, as if to stay. They have very thick beaks and are feared even by the jaybirds, whom they will conquer when- ever they come together in combat. The Bob-o- Link. or rice bird of the south, is sometimes heard and seen, but as yet is only a solitary visitor. These birds do not like the climate or the food for they seldom visit ns, and never remain long. Nevertheless, they leave us with the charm of their song to remember them by. We have better songsters. however.

Every one knows of the English Sparrow. which is perceptibly losing ground, probably more through the ravages of rats and cats and the "butcher bird" than through the instru- mentality of the indefatigable boy and his rub- ber shooter. They are prone to shelter and roost in comfortable places, as in barns, in the hay, where vermin can attack them easily. They have little sympathy from any one. They are not native, but were brought from England several years ago, and for a time, they in- creased rapidly. They are good scavengers, and not so bad as their reputation makes them appear.

It is to be deplored that we have the game law which puts the Turtle Dove on the game bird list. The bird of the olive branch is not altogether a creature of sentiment. Extinction is only a question of time for the harmless dove. unless humanity gets the better of its polities in our legislature.

The Red-bird or Cardinal stays in this lati- tude during mild winters, and his pleasant note of greeting. usually for his mate, who is sure not to be far away, is heard with pleasure, fre- quently at a time, when it may be the only sound of bird anywhere. It is said of him that he does not put his foot upon the ground. but a very close observer had the pleasure, the past spring. of seeing male and female on the ground.

Bluebirds, with their soft and plaintive

warble, gentle little things, foretell us of spring- time. They are great favorites with children, and are late to leave for a milder climate.

What shall be said of that raseally mocker and impudent blue beanty the Jay, who will sit on a tree or a shed and imitate the screams of a hawk to perfeetion, searing ehiekens from their food so that he can get it for himself ? Ile loves his progeny so well that he will deyour his young ones if they fall ont of the nest. He will hold a grain of corn against a hard sub- stance with his feet and pound it with his bill until he eraeks it into small enough pieces to swallow. He has more all-around mischief and mean intelligence than any other bird in this part of the country. Ile often stays through the winter. Some question the fact of his migration.

The bird that should be called the American Songster is the Brown Thrush or Thrasher, as his notes are infinitely sweeter than those of any other hird. not excepting the English mocking bird.

It is not generally known that we have a real member of the Cuckoo family, an annual visitor, under the name of "Rain Crow" or French Robin. It is shy and does not conrt close acquaintance, but is distinctly American. It is not like its English brother, that enconr- ages boarding rather than building and sees to it that the eggs in which he is interested are laid in the vireo's nest or in that of some other small bird, that the offspring may be hatched and reared by them. The American Chekoo mates and nests here regularly. It builds its own nest and its mate broods and rears its own young. It is characteristic of this bird that it has a new mate each year. It deserves special mention for its value to the crop raiser. It will kill more caterpillars than its eats, and is worth ten times more than any other bird to destroy the tent caterpillar, so says the best of author- ity. It is a trim, neat looking bird, if it does line its stomach with caterpillar spines, which is literally true. Another peculiarity is that it has two toes in front and two behind on each foot. It is the Yellow Billed Cuckoo, a close relation to the Black Billed Cuckoo of the At- lantie States.

At present, Whippoorwills do not greatly manifest the disposition to ntter the notes which have given them their name, as they are gradually moving away into more quiet places.

" Will-o-the-Wisps." swooping down in great curves through the air with their shrill ery and booming sonnd, and the noise of the rush of their wings thronging the air, with a snapping whirr, are still in evidence, before a storm. in search of insect food. They do not build nests,

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bnt lay their eggs on the bare ground. The white spots on their wings distinguish them from the "Whippoorwill," or "Goat Sneker."

The Red Wing Blackbird is usually found in low ground, near water, as this seems to be his preferenee, and his ringing, bell-like notes apprise us of his arrival every season. It is a fine sighi to watch him swell out his feathers all over himself, and show all the red on his wings when he sings.

Meadow Larks never fail to return to their old nesting place. They will look back as they Hy away, on a person's approach, to see what one wants in their neighborhood. They be- long to the blackbird family but it seems they must be very distant relations. The residents of the farms and villages, even to the small girls and boys, are glad when the lark comes back. The ground lark is a smaller bird, much along road sides and the fences. A nice little singer with a heart shaped mark on his breast, who lifts his little head and sends his few notes of song just as far as possible.

Cow Black Birds do not build nests, but like the English Cuckoo lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. They impose on smaller birds to hatch their eggs and raise their offspring. They are smart, but do not have the pugnacious dispositions of their near of kin the cow-birds of Central Park, Los Angeles, California. Hun- dreds of tourists frequent here daily and here the cow-birds and mocking birds are very plentiful, the latter nesting in the trees. When men are walking about the park. they are fre- quently startled by the sound of swift rush of little wings from somewhere above their heads. It is the cow-birds or mocking birds that are the offenders, who fly down from the trees and peck and spur at the heads of the persons near them. The cow-birds are just as inch interested, for they have, no doubt, laid their eggs in the mocking birds' nest. Strange to say, the birds have never molested the ladies in the park. It is not clear whether they take them for friends or foes, possibly they do not want to hurt one of their own feathered tribe, which perchance may adorn the ladies' hats.

The Jack Snipe could not stand the pressure of modern civilization, for, he, too, is now a rare bird. It is the largest snipe here, and a fine eating game bird. It belongs to this section and frequents marshy ground. It can be domesticated and made a pet, but as it has an enormous appetite and lives on worms and bugs, is not desirable for that purpose.

The very common Black Crow is an old na- tive of these parts, and does not need any in- troduction. He knows too well how to intro- duce himself in many ways not exactly correct,

for erow habits have no limitations. He is here, and we all know him and his family too well. The crow is of considerable account, and it may be the county does owe him a living. Ile takes no more than he needs. Ile does need a great deal, for his family is large and they must live and have a place to sleep. There is a large "crows' roost" near Quincy, in a large clump of evergreens, and all attempts to send it somewhere have failed. There are about three hundred in the flock. Every morning during winter they go out, one by one, into the adjoining country for miles around to forage. They are good enongh to take only just enough grain from the man of the soil to make it not worth speaking of, or worth molesting the crow. They return, at evening, in small num- bers at a time, eaw-cawing about what they have done, and where they have been. They stay all winter, not migrating as the black- birds so near of kin. The "erow roost" seems to be under a management that displays won- derful order or system. Its population is m- creasing yearly, and has outgrown its habita- tion, as the crows are evidently making efforts to locate new roosts not far from the old one; in one chosen location, owing to the persistent barking of a small dog, they gave up the effort and did not return.

The Robin Red Breasts are early comers, and they are the earliest singers in the morning, and the latest heard in the evening. They are very busy fellows among the bugs and worms. They will hop or walk about upon the ground, as snits them, looking for food. They will stop to listen with head to one side and suddenly dig into the ground with their bills and pull ont the victim. Surely. the proverb "the early bird gets the worm" was never better ex- emplified. It is possible that the bird taps his foot on the ground to make the worm think it is raining, in order to indnee him to come nearer the surface. Just as boys do when they dig fish bait, drive a stake in the ground and tap it with another stiek to make the worms come up so they will not have to dig so deep. Robins are fine singers. Their notes, however, are shorter than those of the thrush and not so melodions. Often some of them stay all winter. The robin is a very valuable bird on the farm, and a favorite everywhere because of his social nature. Robins like to nest close to buildings.

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Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 60

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228