Chapter 39

Chapter 39
pages 217 - 223

THE FAUNA OF PEORIA.

     Introduction.—Not being sufficiently versed in the technicality of the Fauna of Peoria and its vicinity to perform that duty properly, I procured Dr. F. Brendel, a gentleman of considerable reputation on that subject, to write the following chapter. I would just add that the bear, elk, buffalo and beaver had disappeared before I came to Peoria. A few otter and a plenty of paroquets were still here, but they soon disappeared.
     There were originally three kinds of wolves here—the black, the gray and prairie wolf. I understand a few of them still remain, especially of the latter kind, but I have not seen one of either kind for years.
I have never seen a black or white squirrel in Illinois. Even the gray squirrel, that is so plenty in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, is scarce here.
     I never knew any poisonous snakes in this vicinity but rattlesnakes and copperheads, and the latter were always scarce. I never saw a rattlesnake in Peoria, but they were plenty within two or three miles. As soon, however, as a place begins to be settled, hogs, dogs and men wage an unrelenting war upon them, and they soon disappear.
     The following list of vertebrata represents the active fauna as observed during the last eighteen years. It is plain that the fauna and flora of a newly-colonized country can not be the same as it was in a wild state, because, as the Indian did, so many wild animals yielded to civilization, and many plants to cultivation. The black bear, the elk, the buffalo, the beaver, retired to the west and north, and the swarms of paroquets, which rambled formerly in the woods along the river, are gone for ever. Civilization replaced these with its companions, the rats and mice, and one day will, as a substitute to the paroquet, the naturalized house-sparrow arrive from the east.
     The observed quadrupeds are: Two bats — the dark-brown Nycticejus noveboracensis, and the reddish Nycticejus lasiurus, and probably is there a third species, the Nycticejus pruinosus; the shrew (Blarina talpoides), the prairie mole (Scalops argentatus), the wild-cat (Lynx rufus), the gray wolf (Canis occidentalis), the gray fox (Vulpes Virginianus), the weasel (Putorius noveboracensis), the mink (Putorius vison), the otter (Lutra Canadensis), the skunk (Mephitis mephitica), the raccoon (Procyon lotor), the opossum (Didelphys Virginiana), the western fox-squirrel (Sciurus Ludovicianus), the gray squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), which is some times black, the flying squirrel (Pteromys volucella), the chipmunk (Tamias striatus), the gray prairie-squirrel (Spermophilus Franklini), the striped prairie-squirrel (Spermophilus tridecimlineatus), the woodchuck (Arctomys monax), some times wrongly taken for a badger, the muskrat (Fiber Zibethicus), the gopher (Geomys bursarius), the jumping mouse (Jaculus Hudsonicus), the deer-mouse (Hesperomys leucopus), the meadow mouse (Arvicola riparia), the gray rabbit (Lepus silvaticus), the deer (Cervus Virginianus).
     The birds are — 1. Rapacious: the turkey-buzzard (Cathartes aura), the golden eagle (Aquila Canadensis), scarce — only one specimen seen, the bald eagle (Haliaetos leucocephalus), mostly seen in a young state with brown head and tail, the fish-hawk (Pandion Carolinensis), the pigeon-hawk (Falco columbarius), the sparrow-hawk (Falco sparverius), Cooper's hawk (Accipiter Cooperi), the sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter fuscus), the red-tailed hawk (Buteo borealis), the red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), the swallow-tailed hawk (Nauclerus furcatus), the marsh hawk (Circus Hudsonicus), the great-horned owl (Bubo Virginianus), the mottled owl (Scops asio), the long-eared owl (Otus Wilsonianus), the short-eared owl (Brachyotus Cassinii), the snowy owl (Nyctea nivea), only in cold winters, the barred owl (Syrnium nebulosum).
     2. Scansores, comprising the cuckoos and woodpeckers: the yellow-billed and the black-billed cuckoo (Coccygus Americanus and erythrophthalmus). The woodpeckers are the pileated (Hylatomus pileatus), the hairy (Picus villosus), the downy (Picus pubescens), the yellow-bellied (Sphyrapieus varius), the red-bellied
(Centurus Carolinus), the red-headed (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), the golden-winged (Colaptes auratus).
     3. Insessores, comprising the humming-bird (Trochilus colubris), the chimney swallow (Chaetura pelasgia), the whippoorwill (Antrostomus vociferus), the night-hawk (Chordeiles popetue), the king-fisher (Ceryle Alcyon), the king-bird (Tyrannus Carolinensis), the crested fly-catcher (Myiarchus crinitus), the pewee (Sayornis fuscus), the wood-pewee (Cantopus virens), the wood-thrush (Turdus mustelinus), Wilson's thrush (Turdus fuscescens), the robin (Turdus migratorius), the blue-bird (Sialia sialis), the ruby-
crowned and the golden-crested wren (Regulus calendula and satrapa), the Tit-lark (Anthus ludovicianus), the black-and-white creeper (Mniotilta varia), the protonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea), the Maryland yellow-throat (Geothlypis trichas), the Kentucky warbler (Oporornis formosus), the yellow-breasted chat (Icteria viridis), the worm-eating warbler (Helmitherus vermivorus), the blue-winged yellow warbler (Helminthophaga pinus), the Tennessee warbler (Helminthophaga peregrina), the golden-crowned thrush (Seiurus aurocapillus), the water thrush (Seiurus noveboracensis), the black-throated green warbler (Dendroica virens), eight other warblers of the same genus — Dendroica coronata, blackburniae, castanea, pinus, coerulea, striata, aestiva, palmarum,—the hooded warbler (Myiodioctes mitratus), the redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), the scarlet tanager (Pyranga rubra), the summer red-bird (Pyranga aestiva), the white-bellied swallow (Hirundo bicolor), the rough-winged swallow (Cotyle serripennis), the purple martin (Progne purpurea), the wax-wing (Ampelis garrulus), the cedar bird (Ampelis cedrorum), the great northern shrike (Collyrio borealis), the white-rumped shrike (Collyrio excubitoroides), the red-eyed fly-catcher (Vireo olivaceus), the white-eyed Vireo (Vireo noveboracensis), the blue-headed fly-catcher (Vireo solitarius), the yellow-throated fly-catcher (Vireo flavifrons), the cat-bird (Mimus Carolinensis), the brown thrush (Harporhynchus rufus), the house-wren (Troglodytes aedon), the winter wren (Troglodytes hymealis), the American creeper (Certhia Americana), the white-bellied nut-hatch (Sitta Carolinensis), the blue-gray fly-catcher (Polioptila coerulea), the tufted titmouse (Lophophanes bicolor), the black-caped titmouse (Parus atricapillus), the sky-lark (Eremophila cornuta), the evening grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina), which was observed only once, the purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus), the yellow-bird (Chrysomitris tristis), the lark-finch (Chondestes grammaca), the snow-bird (Junco hyemalis) the chipping sparrow (Spizella socialis), the tree-sparrow (Spizella monticola), the song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), the fox-colored sparrow (Passerella iliaca), the black-throated bunting (Euspiza Americana), the rose-breasted grosbeak (Guiraca ludoviciana), the indigo bird (Cyanospiza cyanea), the red-bird (Cardinalis Virginianus), the ground robin (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), the cow-bird (Melothrus pecoris), the swamp black-bird (Agelaius Phceniceus), the meadow-lark (Sturnella magna), which is by no means a lark, but a starling, the orchard oriole (Icterus spurius), the Baltimore oriole (Icterus Baltimore), the rusty black-bird (Scolecophagus ferrugineus), the crow blackbird (Quiscalus versicolor), the common crow (Corvus Americanus), the blue-jay (Cyanura cristata).
     4. Rasores: The wild pigeon (Ectopistes migratoria), the common dove (Zenaidura Carolinensis), the prairie hen (Cupidonia capido), the quail (Ortyx Virginianus), and the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).
     5. Grallatores: The whooping crane (Grus Americanus), the sand-hill crane (Grus Canadensis), the white heron (Herodias egretta), the great blue heron (Ardea herodias), the least bittern (Ardetta exilis), the bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), the green heron (Butorides virescens), the night heron (Nyctiardea gardeni),
the wood ibis (Tantalus loculator), the glossy ibis (Ibis Ordii), the golden plover (Charadrius Virginicus), the kill-deer (Aegialitis vociferus), the semipalmated plover (Aegialitis semipalmatus), Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus Wilsonii), the woodcock (Philohela minor), the red-breasted snipe (Macrorhamphus griseus), and another species, the Macr. scolopaceus, the English snipe (Gallinago Wilsonii), the jack snipe (Tringa maculata), the least sandpiper (Tringa Wilsonii), the semipalmated sandpiper (Kreunetes? petrificatus), the willet (Symphemia semipalmata), the tell-tale (Gambetta melanoleuca), the yellow-legs (Gambetta flavipes), the solitary sandpiper (Rhyacophilus solitarius), the spotted sandpiper (Tringoides macularius), the field plover (Actiturus bartramius), the great marbled godwit (Fedoa limosa), the long-billed curlew (Numenius longirostris), the marsh hen (Rallus elegans), the Virginia rail (Rallus Virginianus), the common rail (Porzana Carolina), the coot or mud-hen (Fulica Americana).
     6. Natatores: The trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator), the white-fronted goose (Anser Gambelii), the Canada goose (Bernicla Canadensis), the mallard (Anas boschas), the black duck (Anas obscura), the pintail (Dafila acuta), the green-winged teal (Nettion Carolinensis), the blue-winged teal (Querquedula discors), the shoveler (Spatula clypeata), the gadwell (Chaulelasmus streperus), the widgeon (Mareca Americana) the summer duck (Aix sponsa), the big black-head (Fulix marila), the little black-head (Fulix affinis), the ring-necked duck (Fulix collaris), the red-head (Aythya Americana), the canvas-back (Aythya vallisneria), the butter-ball (Bucephala albeola), the shell drake (Mergus Americanus), the red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator), the hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), the pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchus), the double-crested cormorant (Graculus dilophus), the herring gull (Larus argentatus), the royal tern (Sterna regia), Wilson's tern (Sterna Wilsonii), the northern diver (Colymbus torquatus), the pied-bill grebe (Podylimbus podiceps).
     The above one hundred and seventy-six species of birds are partly nesting here, partly as many water-birds passengers; as ornithology has never been made a special study in this place, very probably there might be noticed between fifty and one hundred more.
     Reptiles of the four orders are represented here.
     1. Turtles: the soft turtle (Aspidonectes spinifer), the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), Ozotheca odorata, Thyrosternum Pennsilvanicum, Trachermys elegans, Graptemys geographica, Chrysemys Bellii.
     2. Lizards: very scarce; Cremidophorus sexlineatus, and the 'Glass snake', which is no snake, Ophiosaurus lineatus.
     3. Snakes: Crotalus durissus, the banded rattlesnake; Crotalophorus tergeminus, the prairie rattlesnake; Agkistrodon contortrix, the copperhead. These are our poisonous snakes. Harmless are Eutainia sirtalis, the gartersnake; Nerodia sipedon, the water snake; Heterodon platyrhinos, the blowing viper or hog-nose;
Pituophis melanoleucus, the bull snake; Scotophis vulpinus; Ophibolus Sayi, the king snake; Ophibolus eximius, the milk snake; Bascanion constrictor, the black snake; Chlorosma vernalis, the green snake; Storeria Dekayi; and Storeria occipito-maculata.
     4. Batrachia, or naked reptiles: the toad (Bufo Americana), the tree frog (Hyla versicolor), the bull frog (Rana pipiens), the common green frog (Rana halecina), the salamanders (Ambystoma lurida, Notophthalmus viridescens), the water puppy (Menopoma Alleghaniensis).
     The most known fishes in Illinois river are: the yellow perch (Perca flavescens), the black bass (Centrarchus fasciatus), the sun-fish (Pomotis vulgaris), the cat-fish (Pimelodus catus), the horned dace (Leuciscus diplema), the warted sucker (Catostomus tuberculatus), the red-horse (Catostomus Duquesnii), the pike (Esox estor), the gar (Lepidosteus), the eel (Anguilla lutea), the sturgeon (Acipenser), the shovel-fish (Polyodon folium), and many others; among them perhaps many undescribed, as our river fauna is not studied at all.
     Why has a city of nearly 30,000 inhabitants no public collection of the natural products of its vicinity, accessible to all, who might instruct themselves? Is the dollar so mighty to suppress all the interest in the natural history of our country?

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