Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin
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Volume 45 Number 1 January 1974 Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin ;#*'' Field Museum contents of Natural History Bulletin ILLINOIS' QUIET CONSERVATIONISTS Volume 45, Number 1 The Nature Conservancy January 1974 By Joyce M. Brul<off EIGHT STALWART MAIDENS A brief history of Field Museum's stony guardians By Christopher Legge Managing Editor G. Henry Ottery Editor David M. Walsten DARWIN'S BACKWOODS CORRESPONDENT Letters between Charles Darwin and Illinois 8 Staff Writer Jacobs Madge naturalist Benjamin D. Walsh Production Russ Becker A CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON AT FIELD MUSEUM 10 FIELD BRIEFS 16 LETTERS 18 CALENDAR 19 Field Museum of Natural History Director E. Leiand Webber COVER Benjamin D. Walsh (1808-69). Illinois' first state entomologist and a resident of Rocl< Island, corresponded with English biologist Charles Danwin from 1864 until Board of Trustees the year of his death. The 21 letters of this unpublished Rernick McDowell, Mrs, Hermon Dunlap correspondence are in the Rare Book Room of the Field President Smith Museum Library Several of these letters are Mrs- B, Edward Bensinger John W, Sullivan published here for the first lime; see page 8. Gordon Bent William G, Swartchild. Jr. Harry O, Bercher E, Leiand Webber Bowen Blair Julian B, Wilkins Stanton R. Cook Blaine J. Yarrington Williann R. Dickinson, Jr, Ttiomas E. Donnelley II Marshall Field Nictiolas Galitzine Life Trustees Paul W Goodrich Hugo J. Melvoin William McCormick Blair The Field Museum ol Natural History Bulletin is published monthly, J. Roscoe Miller Joseph N. Field except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural William H. Mitchell Clitford 0. Gregg History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605. Charles F. Murphy, Jr. Samuel Insull, Jr, Subscriptions: $6 a year; $3 a year for schools. Members of the Harry M, Oliver. Jr. William V. Kahler Museum subscribe through Museum membership. Opinions expressed John T. Pirie, Jr. Hughston M. McBain authors are their own and do not reflect the of John S, Runnells James L. Palmer by necessarily policy William L. Searle John G. Searle Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Second-class John M. Simpson Louis Ware postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 Edward Byron Smith J. Howard Wood to Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605, ISSN 0015-0703 January 1974 ILLINOIS' QUIET CONSERVATION I STS by Joyce Marshall Brukoff Almost completely unknown to the man Here's how it works. In the beginning, a across the Mississippi River from on the street, yet as powerful a force land is thoroughly inspected to Keokuk, Iowa. Cedar Glen is the second for the preservation of natural areas as determine its intrinsic value as a natural largest winter roosting site in the United the mighty Sierra Club, the Nature area. This land is often acquired through States for our vanishing national Conservancy moves in quiet ways. The purchase with funds raised locally and emblem, the bald eagle. primary purpose of this group is to save nationally. Land acquisition is also endangered wilderness areas, which repeatedly accomplished through the Eagles flock to the natural bowl of Cedar they do quite effectively—slipping in to welcome donations of concerned Glen every December and stay until obtain threatened lands from under the individuals and organizations. A good early March, roosting each night in the crush of a bulldozer or the teeth of a example of this on a national level is the chain sycamore trees. In. mid-March they saw. recent gift to the Conservancy of the migrate north. The eagles have come to Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia, a the for of The Nature is glen hundreds years; Frank Conservancy a national, 50,000-acre donation by the Union Bellrose, of the Illinois Natural History nonprofit, member-governed Camp Corporation. This unique swamp dedicated to the Survey, has observed them there for organization, is a land of great complexity, with an of natural some 25 years. As many as 98 birds preservation vanishing lands. astounding mixture of cypress swamps, Some 400,000 acres of have been sighted at the glen in a forests, swamps, brier thickets, loblolly pine barrens, single afternoon. The importance of this marshes, prairies, seashores, and evergreen shrub bogs, and mixed islands the United States preserve may be understood when it is throughout swamp forests of red maple, pond pine, have been saved from destruction considered that the total number of bald Atlantic white cedar, and other plant action. eagles within the contiguous 48 states is through Conservancy species. Placed at the ecological no more than 500 to 700 breeding pairs, crossroads of northern and southern The Illinois of the Nature a figure which has alarmingly declined Chapter species, the swamp combines in one Conservancy has acquired 25 separate in recent years. contiguous area a fascinating number preserves which a wide display variety of varied ecosystems. To acquire this of geographic forms and ecosystems. land, the Conservancy needed, in What makes Cedar Glen such a choice Together they total more than 5,200 addition to the generous gift from Union habitat for the bald eagle? Its 410 acres acres. Caves and prairies, woodlands Camp, a squadron of negotiators, staff are heavily forested, with gently rolling and and wetlands and bogs, sanctuary attorneys, and public relations and hillsides dropping into rocky ravines. areas for species such as endangered regional staff officers. Several bluffs vary in height from 50 to the chicken and the bald prairie eagle 100 feet. The forest is composed of have been protected under the secure In Illinois, an impressive assortment of maple, basswood, oak, hickory, and umbrella of the Conservancy's action. land acquisitions have been noted as sycamore. All of this lies in a protected "successful" in the Illinois chapter valley, and it obviously satisfies the bald One such is the for sheltered Joyce Marshall Brukoff is a logbook. acquisition eagle's requirements night Chicago writer. Cedar Glen Preserve in Hancock County roosting. Field Museum Bulletin 3 chickens in Illinois was questionable. But the subsequent acquisition by the Illinois chapter of the Bogota Preserve (Jasper County) —an area favored by these birds— has done much to insure their survival. Each year since 1963, the acreages of potential nest cover for prairie chickens have been recorded on the 16-square-mile Bogota study area. The total declined from 837 acres in 1963 to a low of 376 acres in 1966. Since 1966 the total acres of potential nest cover has steadily increased to 1 ,000 acres in 1973, 71 percent of which was due to the establishment of nest cover on sanctuaries. In 1963 the 837 acres of available nest cover m Jasper County produced a population containing 65 cocks. By contrast, in 1973 the 850 acres of Prof. Thomas C. Dunsian, Western iiiinuii, umvaibiiy biologist, bands an immature bald eagle at Cedar available nest cover supported a Glen Preserve. population that contained 203 cocks. It is becoming clear that the present One-quarter mile away from the glen purchase the Conservancy has sanctuary grasslands are capable of are the sunny day roosts and favorite expanded the preserve with three new producing a much higher population level than those that occurred on a fishing places to which the birds set out additions. similar of farmland. at the first light of day. Here, they keep acreage private a watchful eye for dead and injured fish, The area is now leased to Western of the in the chicken chiefly gizzard shad, which are believed Illinois University as part Kibbe The increase prairie to be victims of shifting water Research Station. Dr. John E. Warnock population since the acquisition and temperatures below the Keokuk Dam acts as preserve manager, and Dr. development of a sanctuary system at .two miles upstream. How the eagles Thomas C. Dunstan continues the bald Bogota has indeed been encouraging. catch their fish depends on prevailing eagle studies he has carried on for This native grouse will continue to wind conditions. On calm mornings the years. Both Warnock and Dunstan are respond just as far as habitat the birds sit and preen themselves, awaiting faculty members of Western Illinois management will permit. Because of mid-day thermal winds on which to soar University. responsiveness and tenacity of this bird, the to a second and search for floating fish. On windless opportunity preserve to exist on the days more energy is required to keep Other preserves have captured the flock also appears acres in Marion their 9- to 12-pound bodies aloft. When public interest from time to time, Conservancy's 460 Farina and winter skies are blustery however, the including Volo Bog, a 47-acre preserve County near Kinmundy. birds return to the roost to sit it out and in northern Lake County which is a Closer to the Illinois do their fishing on a better day. classic example of a northern tamarack Chicago, Chapter of the Nature has saved a bog. It is now designated a National Conservancy in the of the In 1971 a plan was announced to sell Natural Landmark by the U.S. virgin prairie shadow city. 20 miles the eagle roost for timber. This threat Department of the Interior. The system Gensburg-Markham Prairie, from in the town of prompted members of the Illinois of prairie grouse sanctuaries scattered Chicago's Loop is 120-acre which chapter to take immediate action. After throughout Illinois provides a good Markham, a grassland 16 inches of It has consulting with scientists from Western example of a long-term program in has some topsoil. Here are 300 Illinois University, the Nature which the Conservancy worked with never been plowed.