small lakes and sloughs are often literally covered with
them. Ducks, and some of the rest, frequently stay through the summer
and breed.

The prairie fowl is seen in great numbers on the prairies in the summer,
and about the corn fields in the winter. This is the grouse of the New
York market. They are easily taken in the winter.

Partridges, (the quail of New England,) are taken with nets, in the
winter, by hundreds in a day, and furnish no trifling item in the
luxuries of the city market.

_Bees._ These laborious and useful insects are found in the trees of
every forest. Many of the frontier people make it a prominent business,
after the frost has killed the vegetation, to hunt them for the honey
and wax, both of which find a ready market. Bees are profitable stock
for the farmer, and are kept to a considerable extent.

_Silk-worms_ are raised by a few persons. They are capable of being
produced to any extent, and fed on the common black mulberry of the
country.

_Manufactures._--In the infancy of a state, little can be expected in
machinery and manufactures. And in a region so much deficient in water
power as some parts of Illinois is, still less may be looked for. Yet
Illinois is not entirely deficient in manufacturing enterprise.

_Salt._ The principal salines of this State have been mentioned under
the head of minerals.

The principal works are at Gallatin, Big Muddy, and Vermillion salines.

_Steam Mills_ for flouring and sawing are becoming very common, and in
general are profitable. Some are now in operation with four run of
stones, and which manufacture one hundred barrels of flour in a day.
Mills propelled by steam, water, and animal power, are constantly
increasing. Steam mills will become numerous, particularly in the
southern and middle portions of the State, and it is deserving remark
that, while these portions are not well supplied with durable water
power, they contain, in the timber of the forest, and the inexhaustible
bodies of bituminous coal, abundant supplies of fuel; while the northern
portion, though deficient in fuel, has abundant water power.

A good steam saw-mill with two saws can be built for $1,500; and a steam
flouring mill with two run of stones, elevators, and other apparatus
complete, and of sufficient force to turn out forty or fifty barrels of
flour per day, may be built for from $3,500 to $5,000.

Ox mills on an inclined plane, and horse mills by draught, are common
thr