8 THE A UDUB OWN B UE LE Tay 
Audubon Society to learn what extra publicity is being given to these 
legislative changes by gun manufacturers, Junior Audubon Clubs, and 
leading magazines. 
Plans are under way to declare the month of October, 1961, “Hawk and 
Owl Month.’ Requests will be made to Governor Otto Kerner and to the 
presidents of the ten forest preserve districts in the state to issue proclama- 
tions. Mr. Mostek will request farm bureau organizations to inform their 
members through their meetings and publications that [Illinois law now 
protects all hawks and owls. 
LeRoy Tunstall of 823 IX. Wesley St., Wheaton, has a 15-minute tape 
broadcast on hawks and owls which is available free to all I. A. S. affiliates 
and other conservation groups. This tape was prepared by the Illinois Con- 
servation Department and has been used on the radio several times. 
Fifty years ago hawks had little or no protection. Now over 42 states 
protect practically all species except the accipters, and over 18 states grant 
protection to all hawks. It is the opinion of those who have long studied 
the problem that few gunneis can tell one hawk from another. If any 
species of hawk is unprotected, a law protecting certain species is very 
difficult to enforce. Audubon membets would do well to report violations of 
the new law to their county sheriff or game warden, and to inform their 
friends in casual conversation of the legal protection now afforded these 
magnificent predators. 
615 Rochdale Circle, Lombard, Illinois 
a a a 
Rose-Throated Becard in South Texas 
By Mrs. Mary BERTHA HUXFORD 
It WAS OvR Goop fortune to see the male and female Rose-throated Becard 
and their large globular nest when we visited south Texas in April, 1960. A 
friendly bird watcher whom we met at the Sun Valley Motor Hotel near 
Harlingen told us that we must not miss Bentsen State Park, for here 
could be found the most northward-ranging species of the Cotingidae fami- 
ly, the Rose-throated Becard, a bird which breeds in small numbers just 
north of the Mexican border in Texas and Arizona. Olin S. Pettingill 
wrote of the nesting becard in Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in the 
Guide To Bird Finding West of the Mississippi, p. 516, “where a pair of 
Rose-throated Becards has been known to nest,” a rather discouraging 
reference. Therefore it was good news to have definite, recent information 
about the bird. 
Early the next morning, April 27, we left Harlingen and drove west 43 
miles over U.S. 83 to Mission, Texas. Continuing three miles west and two 
miles south of this city, we came to the entrance of Bentsen State Park. 
A short drive brought us to the home of the hospitable and friendly man- 
ager, Luke McConnell. When we inquired about where to find the becards, 
he said that the nest would be difficult for strangers to locate but that he 
would take us there after he finished a few necessary jobs. While we were 
waiting we looked around this more populated area of the park. Our bird 
count included Tropical and Western Kingbirds, Solitary Vireo, Mallard 
Duck, Curve-billed Thrasher, Painted Bunting, Yellow and Black-billed 
Cuckoos, Cardinal, Common Grackle, White-winged Dove, Phoebe, Black- 
crested Titmouse, and Green Jay. 
