4 T HEYA U: DU BeOIN; BU Li hale 
somewhere in the Springfield area. The annual meeting was conducted by 
Mr. Ralph Smith, Chicago representative of the L[llinois Federation of 
Sportsmen’s Clubs, acting chairman since the resignation of Raymond Mos- 
tek of the Illinois Audubon Society, who is in Europe. The new slate of of- 
ficers, elected at the meeting, again has an I.A.S. representative as chair- 
man — Elton Fawks, our fourth vice-president. Other officers will be: Ralph 
Smith, vice-chairman; Dr. W. D. Klimstra of Southern [llinois University 
(Carbondale) Illinois Academy of Sciences, 2nd vice-chairman; Lucas 
Wrischnik (Collinsville) Cahokia Nature League, treasurer; Mrs. Madeline 
Dorosheff (Springfield) Springfield Nature League, corresponding secre- 
tary; and Mrs. C. F. Russell (Decatur) Decatur Audubon Society, recording 
secretary. A total of 31 delegates and 13 visitors registered at the meeting. 
8925 Indian Boundary, Gary, Indiana 
ft i i 
The Christmas Bird Census — 1956 
By PAu H. LoBik 
AUDUBON WINTER CENSUS time is near, and once again we invite all of our 
members to participate in this important project. To most of us, bird watch- 
ing in itself is reason enough for going out in the field; but once a year our 
observations take on a much greater significance, as the combined efforts of 
watchers all over the country are compiled in an attempt to assess the rise 
or fall of bird populations in the United States. 
This year we are cooperating fully with the procedures of the National 
Audubon Society, which has become the central clearing house for all Win- 
ter Censuses, the results of which are transmitted to the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service. It is suggested that each participating group obtain forms 
from Miss Elizabeth S. Manning, % National Audubon Society, 1130 Fifth 
Avenue, New York 28, N. Y. Original forms are free, and must be used for 
submitting reports to the National Society; extra forms may be purchased 
from Miss Manning for 10 cents each. 
The set contains a detailed list of the “Christmas Bird Count Rules” 
(summarized below), a remittance sheet for the census-takers, a list to be 
filled in with names and addresses of all participants, and the two-page cen- 
sus form. This form has spaces for the name of the group, the area covered, 
time, temperature, wind and weather, number of observers, number of par- 
ties, party-hours on foot or by car, and party-miles on foot or by car. Next 
are listed all of the American birds in A. O. U. order, with space for the 
number of each species observed; the totals by species and individuals; and 
spaces for additional notes and the names of the counters. Gaps are provided 
in the list for inserting subspecies and rarities. Important: if you want your 
census to be published in the Illinois Audubon Bulletin, you must send copies 
both to the National Society and to the Audubon Bulletin Editor, Paul H. 
Lobik, 4835 Wabansia Avenue, Chicago 39, Illinois. If you want your cen- 
sus report to appear in the Illinois Bulletin only, please type up your re- 
port, double spaced on 842 x 11 paper, in the same manner as shown in our 
Census Record in the March, 1956, Bulletin, and send it to the Editor. 
