BEE AUDUBON BULCECETEN 23 
for Bob-whites. Such impromptu bird preserves would also solve that 
difficulty, and provide needed cover for these little round cherubs. Just 
think what could be done in every county and township of the state, 
with no increase in taxes, even in this era of steam-shovel and steam-roller 
civilization ! 
What about the past duck season? Illinois has again lived up to 
its reputation of duck-slaughtering state. The Illinois River was again the 
Via dolorosa of migrating water fowl. After three poor seasons the ducks 
showed up again in goodly numbers, and therefore were again mercilessly 
shot down wholesale. We were told of a party of six hunters who in 
two days shot 238 ducks, 58 above the limit. Think how many of the 
small bands of traveling wild ducks were wiped out by this one group 
alone. A duck hunter told us how he and a companion on the preceding 
Saturday had shot 25 ducks in two hours. Although a passionate shooter 
even he felt a little guilty, and, upon reflection, added that according to 
his observation baiting of ducks and geese with food, the use of live 
deceys, and of pump and machine guns should be strictly forbidden. He 
had been humane enough when entering the shooting preserve, where you 
could shoot the limit for five dollars, to shoo away about 3,000 ducks that 
were in the feeding pen. Oh, the shame of this commercializing of the 
lives of these innocents! What is there that is not commercialized in 
this, cur superior (?!) civilization? 
Perhaps we are at the dawn of a better day. “The new governor, 
Judge Horner, is a strong conservationist in sentiment. He is for a 
non-partisan commission of conservation. It remains to be seen whether 
he can carry out his good intentions. For, we must not forget, many 
of the hunters and shooting-place owners have political influence in their 
respective districts. Greed and other forms of selfishness are barriers 
dificult to break down, even fcr a governor with the best of intentions. 
Again we would urge all members of the Illinois Audubon Society to 
bring pressure on their representatives in Springheld to vote for any law 
introduced to enlarge the scope of bird and nature conservation. 
A sinister threat to our native birds is assuming more and more 
ominous proportions, the starling. Perhaps we could still grapple with 
this menace before it is too late if this bird were placed on the list of 
game birds, because the attention of shooters would then be directed to it. 
Again we submit a list of desiderata in bird protection, devoutly to 
be wished—and worked for. 
Removing the Mourning Dove from the game bird list. 
Declaring a closed season on the Prairie Chicken and the Bob-white. 
Forbidding the baiting of wild ducks with food. 
Forbidding the use of live decoys. 
Forbidding the use of pump and modified machine guns. 
Granting more protection to owls and to beneficial hawks. 
Devising ways and means to reduce the number of hunting licenses. 
