29 THEA U D U-BO N] 8 Uebel 
l.A.S. Welcomes Another Benefactor 
Treasurer Paul Schulze, giving his annual report on the growth of our 
membership at the Annual Meeting in Davenport, Iowa on May 15, revealed 
that Mr. Irving E. Meyerhoff of Highland Park had just changed his mem- 
bership status to that of a Benefactor of the Society. Mr. Schulze, in 
acknowledging the application, wrote to Mr. Meyerhoff: 
“Since this is my first letter to a member who is applying to become a 
Patron of the Society, I am somewhat at a loss for words... Your manner 
of endorsing the aims of the Society is very heartening to the Directors 
and we promise not to disappoint you. At your request, we will remind you 
when another payment is due. Enclosed is a membership card which shows 
that you are a Benefactor and permanent member of the Society .. . 
When this year began, we had no Benefactors of the Society; now we have 
two. This has been a big year for us in that respect. Thank you for your 
support!” 
To Mr. Meyerhoff and to our first Benefactor, Mr. V. V. Mason of New 
York City, the other Directors of the Society also send their thanks. 
(35 fl 1s I! 
NEW TYPE OF BIRD FEEDER ON SALT CREEK 
By Betty Groth 
Warning came early in December that I would have to stop feeding the 
birds from my picture window sill, as grown muskrats were seen in midday 
clambering up the brick wall, clawing for their share of the sunflower seed. 
They had been flooded out of their winter homes and mud holes along the 
creek bank when high water began to flow over the winter landscape. 
Instead of the usual lacing of tiny bird feet in the snow made by juncoes, 
chickadees, and Song Sparrows outside my big window, there were three 
kinds of animal tracks. Long mounds appeared over the tulip garden which 
I had just bedded down for the winter. More tunnels appeared by the walk 
where I had planted crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths, all leading down to 
the elegant winter quarters of a muskrat club beneath my apartment. I 
phoned the management. They came with D-con. No more bird seed or 
bread was put out for the birds. 
One night at eleven o’clock, while having a bedtime snack in the dark 
by the picture window, I saw my first baby muskrat. He sat there unblink- 
ing, cuddling in the cold at the opening of a six-inch muskrat hole. He was 
so cute, I asked the management to stop the chemicals. Next to appear was 
a carefully groomed, well-fed large brown mouse who had been thriving 
on my sunflower seed. Last and really startling was a mole, who dashed 
madly over the walk looking for sunfiower seeds and then, repelled at the 
golden night lights outside, dove for cover. Frightened at the prospect of 
mole hills and muskrat tunnels, I called for more help from the manage- 
ment. After a week, instead of six muskrat holes, I had fourteen. Apparently 
they found the D-con delicious. 
