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THE ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY 
In the 1850's before the days of extensive federal investigation in biology 
and agriculture and before the advent of the land-grant colleges, the people 
of the midwest realized that their expanding farm economy had to have a 
scientific base for continued development. One result was the founding in 
1858 of the Natural History Society,of illinois, one of the first science 2c 
institutions in Illinois to investigate problems of development of the state's 
renewable natural resources. The Office of the State Entomologist was 
established in 1867 to combat losses inflicted by insects on the state's 
agriculture. In 1917 the continuing scientific bodies arising from these two 
organizations were incorporated into the Illinois Natural History Survey. 
The Natural History Survey and its sister organizations, the Illinois 
Geological Survey and the Illinois Water Survey are divisions of the 
State Department of Registration and Education in Springfield, and are 
housed on the University of Illinois campus, in recognition of the cooperative 
relationships between the surveys and the University. 
In 1858 Illinois was a sparsely settled agricultural state. Now it is 
populous, highly agriculturalized, industrialized and urbanized. These 
changes have brought new problems regarding insect and plant pests, insects 
and human diseases, forest management, availability and use of game species, 
and numbers and occurence of wildlife. Every change means a re-evaluation 
and re-orientation of the research activities of the Natural History Survey 
in order to bring scientific knowledge to bear in solving new problems. 
Each month the Natural History Survey published its REPORT on new discoveries 
and undertakings as well as its continuing projects. In addition, the staff 
has prepared a short brochure of Survey activities obtainable on request. 
Also available is the "Centennial Volume" outlining in greater detail the 
history, developments & activities of the Survey. For a copy write: 
George Sprugel, Chief, Illinois Natural History Survey, Urbana 61801. 
Darlene Fiske 
FUROR OVER FURS 
Humane societies both here and abroad, have focused attention on the annual 
seal hunts and the brutal methods by which the animals are driven into the 
killing area and clubbed to death. Each the U.S. Department of the Interior 
supervised the slaughter of about 60,000 baby seals in the Pribilof Islands 
off Alaska. About 50,000 baby harp seals are taken in the Canadian waters in 
the Gulf of St. Lawrence by Norwegian and Eskimo sealers. 
In both areas, the baby seals are clubbed to death and skinned immediately. 
Some observers have claimed that some of the seals are not dead before they 
are skinned. The criticism over sealing methods has caused a drop in the price 
of pelts on the European market, as some consumers have boycotted sealskin 
coats. Skins which were bringing $3 each a few years ago, now sell for $l. 
This price drop hurt many Eskimo families which earn their living by sealing 
and many are now on relief. 
