12 T HEOAU DU BIONG BU Lise ei 
Conservation News and Notes 
By LERoy TUNSTALL 
I.A.S. Book AWARDs: It has been a policy of the Illinois Audubon Society 
to present $25.00 worth of books on bird life and conservation each year to 
schools, colleges, and public libraries in the state. We are happy to announce 
that this fall the Wheaton Public Library, Wheaton College, North Central 
College in Naperville, and Decatur High School will receive these com- 
plimentary volumes. 
SCOUTING PROGRAM: Recognizing the need for intelligent use of our natural 
resources, the Boy Scouts of America have integrated conservation into 
their teaching program. A scoutmaster’s “Program Kit of Wildlife Con- 
servation” has been issued which I feel should be used by every scout ex- 
ecutive. The Kit has been prepared with the assistance of the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Soil Conservation Service, and 
Forest Service. It consists of a conservation chart and a 32-page booklet. 
Some of the projects are: Make a Back Yard Sanctuary for Birds; Stream 
Bank Erosion Control; Improve Conditions for Wildlife; Outdoor Safety 
and Good Manners. A Conservation Award is given upon completion of the 
projects. I have had the privilege of teaching nature study to scout troops, 
and I have found that many boys know very little about our natural re- 
sources, birdlife, wildflowers and animals. As Conservation Chairman, I feel 
that we should back all youth groups to promote conservation education. 
WHOOPING CRANES: Many people have asked me about the celebrated 
whooping crane chicks that hatched this spring at the New Orleans Zoo. 
I am happy to report that the two parent birds, attended by ornithology 
expert George Scott of the Bronx Zoo, to date have reared successfully 
their two offspring, Of the three whooper chicks previously hatched in eap- 
tivity, none has lived longer than a few weeks, 
THE CONSERVATION THEME: I have heard some members of Audubon So- 
cieties say that we hear too much about conservation and not enough about 
birds at our meeting's. In a recent issue of the Audubon Magazine a letter 
from a subscriber said: ‘“‘We want more about birds and more birds!” Yes, 
we might think so, but do we? The Audubon Magazine at one time was 
called Bird Lore, but its name was changed because of wider interests. 
In 1892 just one of the feather markets in Jacksonville, Florida, shipped 
130,000 scalps of the egret to New York for the millinery trade. Even more 
thousands of young birds must have starved to death, as the parents have 
plumes only at nesting time. This species became almost extinct; thanks 
to the National Audubon Society, it has become common again. The blue- 
bird, which used to be so common along our highways and fencerows, now 
is rarely seen. The only reason for this is that man has taken away the 
natural nesting places of the bluebird — including old wooden fenceposts. 
The alarming decline in numbers of our Prairie Chickens, Bald Eagles, and 
Key Deer may also extend to other forms of bird and animal life if we 
do not become more conservation-minded, 
