jBirli-lore 



A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE 

 DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS 



Vol. XII March— April, 1910 No. 2 



President Roosevelt's List of Birds 



Seen in the White House Grounds and About Washington 

 During His Administrationt 



WHEN Mr. Richard Kearton, the EngHsh ornithologist and author, 

 brought his wonderful motion pictures of bird-life to this country, 

 he came directly to Washington, and gave his first exhibition at the 

 White House to a small company of invited guests. President Roosevelt seemed 

 to enjoy the entertainment immensely, and when it was over he congratulated 

 Mr. Kearton warmly. Then the two became the center of a distinguished group 

 of outdoor men, including Ambassador Bryce, and they talked for an hour on a 

 variety of subjects, — beginning with snakes and ending with nature-faking. 



It was when the party was breaking up that I had an opportunity to speak 

 with the President, and I asked him if I might make, from a magazine article 

 of his, a list of the birds he mentioned having seen about the White House. 

 I explained that I wanted it for a new edition of the local bird book, 'Birds of 

 Washington and Vicinity. ' 



"Why yes," he answered cordially. "But I'll do better for you than that. 

 I'll make vou a list of all the birds I can remember having seen since I have 

 been here." 



Then he said I had better remind him, as he might forget it, and he told me 

 how to address a note so that it would come directly to him, without risk of 

 falling into a secretary's waste-basket. 



I wrote the reminder, and it shows the President's characteristic promptness 

 that within twentv-four hours after mailing it I received this list of ninety-three 

 birds in his own handwriting. 



Where an unusual name is given, I have added another in brackets. What 

 a Bush Sparrow was I did not know and could not find out, so I wrote Mr. Roose- 

 velt again, but not until after he had left Washington and was at Oyster Bay 

 engrossed with preparations for his African trip. I hardly expected a reply, but 

 some weeks later received a note from the Outlook office saying the writer had 



tCopyright, L. W. Mayn^ird. 



