12 T'H E  A’U D°U°B°O'N BU Tele etee 
Bird-Watching Around-the-Clock 
By MARIE NILSSON 
HERE IS GOOD NEWS for bird-watchers who are always pushing back the sun- 
set because “‘there is one more bird over there I have not seen.” The Scien- 
tific American, in the October, 1955 issue, contains an article on “Nocturnal 
Animals” which describes a discovery of promise to those who enjoy study- 
ing the habits of birds at night. You simply fit the lens of a flashlight with 
a filter of red gelatin and turn the colored rays on the creatures you wish 
to see, according to Dr. H. N. Southern, Oxford University zoologist and 
inventor of the method. “The eyes of many nocturnal creatures,” he explains, 
“are insensitive to red light. To study the habits of nocturnal animals, one 
needs add to this lighting equipment only plenty of enthusiasm and persever- 
ance.” 
Dr. Southern discovered this new technique while engaged in a study of 
predator-prey relationships. He began with the “Snooperscope” of World 
War II, then found the red-filmed flashlight was just as effective and less 
cumbersome. His subject was the tawny owl, which he has now been studying 
for eight years. With the red light focused on the nest, and using 10 x 80 
binoculars, he could observe every movement all through the night. During 
eight consecutive nights, he found the male owl brought 20 wood mice to the 
nest. 
It was learned that most nocturnal mammals were similarly oblivious to 
red light. Badgers, raccoons, skunks and other species went calmly about 
their business. Dr. Southern found he could use the red light to find the 
animals, focus upon them with his reflex camera, and then take flash pic- 
tures. Other nature students should be able to profit by this discovery. 
1510 Olive Ave., Chicago 26, Illinois 
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Northern Phalaropes in Illinois 
By RoBerRtT KIRBY 
DURING THE Past four years I have observed a number of Northern Phala- 
ropes in Central Illinois. Since the Distributional Check List of the Birds 
of Illinois reports this species as “rare,” and the Wilson’s Phalarope merely 
as “uncommon,” I told Mr. Milton Thompson of the Illinois State Museum 
of this reversal as far as my records were concerned. He suggested that I 
send these records to the Audubon Bulletin for publication. 
{ have found Northern Phalaropes in three areas in Central Illinois in 
the past four years. On Sept. 27, 1952, I saw one on Lake Allerton, near 
Monticello; another stayed two days, Sept. 12 and 13, on the mud flats of 
Lake Decatur in 1953; on Sept. 9, 1954, we found one on the mud flats of 
Lake Springfield; and three stayed two days in 1955 on the Lake Decatur 
