96 



sixty of these splendid birds that have successfully coped with 

 the severe winter months. 



Gentlemen of the Illinois Academy of Science, how many 

 of you would wish to see that band of pioneer birds extermi- 

 nated within a month from July 1, 1911? 



I have a letter in my pocket from W. F. Henninger of Ohio, 

 who is Secretary of the Wilson Ornithological Club of that state, 

 stating that he seriously doubts if a single live prairie chicken 

 is now to be found within the boundaries of Ohio. Is this to 

 be said of Illinois in the near future?? 



I would be much pleased should the Illinois Academy of 

 Science goi on record as favoring the repeal of the quail law 

 for a protecting period of three years, and an extension of the 

 prairie chicken protecting clause for an additional period of 

 five years from July 1, 1911. 



JV. S.. Strode. — "The quail is holding his own pretty well 

 since the farmer is awakening to the fact that he is a very 

 useful bird, destroying great quantities of weed seed, chinch 

 bugs, and other obnoxious insects. The Cooper's hawk and 

 sharp-shinned hawk are great destroyers of the quail. The 

 former will eat nothing else if he can get a quail every day, and 

 the latter is no better. 



Only absolute protection to the prairie hen will result in 

 its introduction again to the ]:)rairies of Illinois, as it is a 

 conspicuous bird, an easy mark, and a touch of shot kills it. 

 The average boy with his automatic or pump gun would 

 quickly get the last of a flock. 



The ruffed grouse is almost extinct. Some years ago in 

 Fulton county a disease broke out among them and destroyed 

 nearly the last of them. 



The wild turkey is practically extinct in the state and can 

 never successfully be introduced again as their habitat has 

 been destroyed. The speaker killed his last one on Christmas 

 day 1883, and then awoke to the fact that he had killed the 

 last one in Fulton county." 



