In 1837, a young Scot settler drew a straw that gave him the privilege of naming his new home, and he chose Dundee after his hometown of Dundee, Scotland. Between McHenry and Ottawa, the Fox River has over 200 islands. In this region, flora begins with blooming skunk cabbage in late February and ends with goldenrods and gentians in late October. At least 248 of the 299 bird species common to Illinois can be found in the Fox River basin, including 30 state-threatened or endangered species.