82 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



taken my first radical step in reconstructing 

 the zoological collection. After looking carefully 

 at the material, which was then stored in the upper 

 room of what is now the university offices, I de- 

 termined to destroy most of the existing collection. 

 It doubtless had some historic value ; that was all. 

 So, after taking out the artificial eyes of many 

 birds and other animals, all of which were in a 

 process of dissolution, from moth and age, the re- 

 mains were consigned to the furnaces then in the 

 basement of the School of Science. 



I had brought with me from Plainfield, as the 

 result of the month spent there, between forty and 

 fifty mounted specimens of local birds. Dr. Guyot 

 told me that the trustees desired that these and 

 any other material available should be exhibited at 

 Commencement in the new museum. It was hoped 

 that a fair showing, indicative of future results, 

 would be made. 



Realizing that I would have but little time for 

 field-work, or even to go to the fields to obtain 

 new specimens, I looked about and sought advice 

 as to some local hunter or sportsman to aid me. 

 Here fortune certainly smiled. I was recom- 

 mended to make the acquaintance of one Charlie 

 Hubbard, a negro, who had the reputation not 

 only of being an excellent sportsman and good 

 shot, but who, it was said, knew much in general 

 of wild creatures out of doors. 



