THE OSPREY. 



109 



THE OSPREY. 



An Illustrated Magazine of Popular Ornithology. 



Published Monthly, 



By 



THE OSPREY COMPANY. 



Edited by Theodore Gill in collaboration with Robert 

 Ridgvvay, LeonhardSlejneger, Frederic A. Lucas. Charles 

 W. Richmond. Paul Bartsch. William Palmer and Harry 

 C. Oberholser of Washington, and VVitmer Stone of Phila- 

 delphia. 



Contributions of a relevant nature are respectfully soli- 

 cited, and should be addressed to The Osprey Company, 

 3-21-323 4J^ Street N. W., Washington, D. C. 



Subscription : In the United States. Canada and Mexico, 

 One Dollar a year, in advance. Single Copies. Ten Cents. 



Foreign Subscription : (Jne Dollar and Twenty-five Cents. 

 Postage paid to all countries in the Postal Union. 

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Entered as secoad-class matter, by The Osprey Com- 

 pany at the Washington, D. C, Post Office. 



Vol. IV. 



MARCH, 1900. 



Comments. 



BIOGRAPHIES OF ORNITHOI,OGISTS. 



In the postscript Introduction to the last 

 vokime of the Osprey, we indicated that we in- 

 tended to give in future numbers biographical 

 sketches and accompanying portraits of various 

 ornithologists and especially of such as had elu- 

 cidated the ornithology of America. "We pro- 

 mised to give the biography of William Swain- 

 son, then already mostly prepared, as soon as 

 more urgent matter permitted. Meanwhile, we 

 have published the likenesses of the latelj^ de- 

 ceased Doctor D. Webster Prentiss and Pro- 

 fesser Othniel P. Mar.sh. For a capital summarj- 

 of the latter's life and writings we have been 

 indebted to his successor at Yale, Professor 

 Beecher. We are at last ready to redeem our 

 promise aud give the biography of Swainson. 

 This is commenced in the present number. 



Swainson was at one time so prominent as an 

 ornithologist, covered so wide a field in orni- 

 thology, and did so much bearing on the orni. 

 thology of America that we have given an un- 

 usually long account of his life and career. In 

 some respects he was a very interesting charac- 

 ter and a number of entertaining episodes con- 

 nected with his life are given in various works. 

 We feel assured that the readers of the Osprey 

 will not g^rudge the space given to him but, on 



the contrary, will feel indebted to us for furnish- 

 ing them the opportunity to know more of so 

 remarkable a man. 



The intercourse of Swainson and Audubon 

 was especially interesting and its details have 

 only been known to us within the last three 

 years by the publication of Audubon's memoirs 

 by his grand-daughter. This narative will 

 convey a vivid idea of the two men and their 

 surroundings, as well as of the times in which 

 they flourished and the men that flourished with 

 them. 



The biography' of Swainson will extend 

 through four numbers of the Osprey. This 

 will be longer than most others at least, as 

 we will be unable to spare anything like 

 equal space to the great majority of the other 

 subjects whose portraits will be given. 



We have already had engraved portraits of a 

 number of other American ornithologists which 

 will be given in due time. Among them are 

 those of Sir John Richardson, Thomas Nuttall, 

 Spencer F. Baird, John Cassin, Thomas Wilson, 

 Elliott Coues, Henry Brj'ant, General George 

 A. McCall, and various others who have been 

 pioneers in American ornithology. The next 

 biography probably will be that of Dr. Coues 

 whose recent death has been such a loss to us. 



MERCANTII.E VAI,UE OF EGGS. 



An inquirj' appears in the present number of 

 the Orprey from a perplexed correspondent 

 who wants to know the basis for the valuation 

 of some eggs — why are the eggs of the Great 

 Auk so much more esteemed than those of the 

 ALpyornis? The former bird has become extinct 

 within the time of men still living; the latter 

 probably became extinct when man had barel)-- 

 developed into his present form. Yet an &^^ of 

 the Auk will command bids for considerably 

 over a thousand dollars at auctions while the 

 latter will not fetch much more than one or two 

 hundred dollars. 



Mr. Ivucas has indicated the reason in a reply 

 to our correspondent. It is a matter of fashion! 

 Collectors of birds and bird eggs, like other 

 beings, take to "fads". 



The impulse to collect .something or other — to 

 accumulate — to hoard — is implanted to a greater 

 or less extent in ever3' huinan being — even the 

 spendthrift. Probably in none is the instinct 

 absolutely wanting. It is an instinct indeed of 

 vital importance to man. The manifestation of 

 that instinct is multiform. One of its forms is 

 visible in the naturalist-collector. In some 

 cases, it becomes what is known as a fadi 



