NATIVE ANIMALS Conditions for animal life. The forests, prairies, streams, and lakes of Illinois in their natural state furnished favorable conditions for a varied and abundant animal life. Numerous species of mammals were found throughout the state varying in size from mice to buffaloes. The black bear was common in the wooded districts; the buffalo on the prairie; the deer and elk throughout the state both in forest and on grasslands; the beaver, otter, and muskrat along the streams. The leaves and twigs of trees, nuts, berries, roots, and the rich prairie grasses furnished a plentiful food supply for animals depending wholly on plants. The flesh-eating animals such as the wolf and bear found abundant food among the smaller mammals, and often among the larger animals. They also ate largely of birds and their eggs. The otter and other animals frequenting streams were skilful in securing fish, crayfish, and other food supplies from the water.
Bird life was exceedingly abundant in response to plentiful food supplies in the form of berries, fruits, insects, seeds of grasses and other herbaceous plants, and to favorable breeding grounds throughout the state. The passenger pigeon, now extinct, was found in flocks of many thousands. The prairie hen was so abundant that a hunter could kill dozens of them in a single day. Wild turkeys were common, and wild ducks and wild geese frequented the waters of the state in great flocks.
Frogs, snakes, and turtles were common. The streams and lakes abounded in fish. Myriads of insects were present in forest, prairie, swamp, and stream. The fresh-water mollusk, which was later to become a source of an important industry, was abundant.
Man and native animals.—Prior to the coming of the white man to Illinois, a balance had been fairly well developed among the physical features, the native plant life, the native animal life, and the native human life of the state. Soil, surface, rainfall, and temperature had determined the character and profusion of vegetation; the vegetation had determined the nature and amount of animal life; while the Indian had adjusted himself to the natural environment in which he lived.
The white man came with a knowledge of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and commerce. He brought about such changes as best suited his method of life. In doing so, he wrought profound changes in the native animal life of the state.
He soon occupied Illinois in greater numbers than the Indian had ever done. With his more powerful weapons and the necessity for food, he was soon destroying the native food animals more rapidly than the Indian had found possible with his crude instruments of the chase. By clearing the forest and breaking the prairie, he destroyed many of the breeding and feeding grounds of native mammals and native birds. By pollution of streams and by over-fishing, the abundant life of the lakes and streams declined, and his efforts to restore the balance have taken form in artificial propagation of fishes. His introduction of cultivated plants and domesticated animals more than overbalanced the destruction of natural plant and animal life. By his methods the Illinois country was to support, in less than a hundred years after statehood was attained, a population of 100 persons per square mile where not 1 per square mile had lived in the days of Indian occupation.
Animal life in pioneer days.—The following extracts from Illinois in 1837 & 38 give a glimpse of the animals of pioneer days as seen by writers of that day: There are several kinds of wild animals in the state of Illinois. The principal and most numerous are deer, wolves, raccoons, opossums, etc. Several species formerly common have become scarce, and are constantly retreating before the march of civilization; and some are no longer to be found. The buffalo has entirely left the limits of the state. This animal once rosined at large over the plains of Illinois; and, so late as the com mencement of the present century, was found in considerable numbers. Traces of them still remain in the buffalo paths, which are seen in several parts of the state.