82 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



out question, have become one of the most eminent of the ornithologists of his 

 time, for he had pronounced scientific tastes, great steadfastness of purpose, and 

 a remarkably keen and analytical mind. He died on April 13, 1885. 



J. Elliot Cabot was born on June 18, 1821. He entered Harvard in 1836 

 and was graduated in 1840. He was a man of refined and scholarly tastes, 

 devoted to literature, and also a true lover of nature. That his interest in birds, 

 although sincere and lasting, was probably less profound and certainly less scien- 

 tific than that of his brother Samuel, is indicated by the following passages 1 

 which my neighbor and friend Mrs. Charles Almy (a daughter of Dr. Samuel 

 Cabot) has kindly permitted me to quote from an autobiographical sketch by J. 

 Elliot Cabot, printed for private circulation in 1904 : — 



"In 1836 (June, I suppose) I entered Harvard College, at the usual age of 



fifteen My intimates (besides a few of the younger Southerners) were two 



Boston boys who lived near me (at Mrs. Willard's, where the A. D. Club is or 

 lately was), William Sohier and Henry Bryant, the first an ardent sportsman, 

 and the second an ardent ornithologist, who between them led me to spend much 

 time in shooting excursions on Charles River and woods from there to Fresh 

 Pond and the marshes. Shooting was not allowed by the authorities ; and we 

 were obliged to carry our guns slung (in two parts, the barrel separated from 

 the stock) under our cloaks (which were then the regular college wear in place 

 of great-coats). Our chief (or only) danger was meeting Jones Very before 

 we had reached the shelter of the woods and remote fields, for he (alone of the 

 college Faculty) was a great walker. When he met us in this rig (as he often 

 did), he looked at us sorrowfully, no doubt penetrating our disguise, but was too 

 high-minded to call us to question. I learned to be skilful in skinning birds, and 

 sent vast numbers of specimens to my brother Sam, who was in Paris, studying 

 medicine, and wanted them for exchange ; for he was a devoted ornithologist 

 without prejudice to his professional labors. I did not often carry a gun 

 myself, — perhaps only as a cripple-stopper for Sohier, — but spent much time in 

 studying the birds with my eyes while my companion was ranging about with 

 his gun. Sohier was sufficiently interested in my pursuit to shoot all the birds 

 I wanted, game or not. I gained in this way a good knowledge of the birds of 

 this vicinity, which has been a source of pleasure to me since, but at extravagant 



cost. 



" My devotion to ornithology was much assisted and excused to myself by 

 the urgings of my brother Sam (to whom I looked up very much, and who 

 could see nothing but good in the stuffing of birds) to supply him with speci- 



' [J. E. Cabot], J. Elliot Cabot [Autobiographical sketch — Family reminiscences — Sedge birds], 

 1904, 20, 22-24. 



