ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 



A Distinguished Resident of Mt. Carmel 



The people of Mt. Carmel have recently conducted a successful cam- 

 paign to save from destruction a giant sycamore near that place. This 

 was one of twelve of the same species growing in 1875 on an area not 

 exceeding one-half a mile square, which averaged 23*/2 feet in circum- 

 ference and 127 feet in spread of top by actual measurements and about 

 150 feet in height. This present day survivor of the notable group now 

 measures 30 feet in circumference. A photograph of its immense bole 

 is reproduced herewith. The tree stands near the site of the new levee 



soon to be constructed along the bank 

 of the Wafrash River and it is report- 

 ed that the persons having charge of 

 (he work intended to cut it down. 

 When news of this threatened disaster 

 reached the State Foresters of Indiana 

 and Illinois and organizations such as 

 the Friends of ( )ur Native Landscape, 

 letters were sent to citizens of Mt. 

 Carmel proffering aid in securing the 

 preservation of the tree. It seems that 

 the local pressure of opinion was suffi- 

 cient to accomplish the purpose. Ac- 

 cording to a late issue of the Mt. Car- 

 mel Register, the engineers in charge 

 of the levee construction have agreed 

 to make a detour if necessary to save 

 the tree. The citizens of Mt. Carmel 

 are to be congratulated upon the pres- 

 ervation of this giant "aborigine" of 

 the Wabash Valley. 



A Contest at New Trier 



Pupils of the New Trier Township High School at Kenil worth took 

 part last May in a prize essay contest instituted by a patron of the school, 

 Mr. F. R. Barnett of Glencoe, who offered prizes of ten and five dollars 

 respectively for the two best essays on themes relating to bird life. Con- 

 ditions of the contest emphasized the value of original observations and 

 these were pleasingly reflected in the papers that resulted. The manuscript 

 of Paula ( )tten of Kenilworth was awarded first prize, that of John H. Sut- 

 ter of Wilmette, second prize. The latter's paper was selected for re- 

 production in this number of the Bulletin because of the value of the data 

 relating to the nesting activity of a brown thrasher and also as a good 

 illustration of method of intelligent observation. New Trier High School 

 and the head of the Department of Biology, Mr. L. E. Hildebrand, are to 

 be congratulated upon the evidence that the pupils of that school go afield 

 for the acquiring of knowledge. 



