158 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 16-No. 10 



THE 



ORNITHOLOGIST^OOLOGIST 



A Monthly Magazine of 



NATURAL HISTORY, 



ESPECIALLY DEVOTED To THE STUDY OF 



Bill IDS, 



THEIR NESTS AND EGCiS, 



and to the 



INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS. 



Under the Editorial Managenient of 



FRANK B. WEBSTER, 

 J. PARIvER NORRIS, 

 FRANK A. BATES, 



Hyde Park, JIass. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



Boston, Mass. 



PUBLISHED AT THE 



MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS SUPPLY DEPOT 



OF THE 



FRAN'K BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY, 



I.NCORPORATED, 



Hyde Park, Mass., U. S. A. 



The O. & O. is mailed each issue to every paid sub- 

 scriber. If you fail to receive it, notify us. 



EditoriaL 



.lust one year ago we called upon the 

 naturalists of Massachusetts by their votes, to 

 help Gov. Brackett down and out, on account 

 of his ignoring their petition and rights. We 

 have repeatedly referred to the fact that Mr. 

 Lathrop of Springfield has publicly stated that 

 he would stamp out the business of the taxi- 

 dermist — as he is pleased to call everyone 

 who would add a bird to his collection — and 

 by so stating cannot hold the position as a 

 commissioner of fish and game in a fair and 

 unbiased manner. While this is a matter 

 that perhaps only interests our naturalists, 

 one has only to give the subject a little study 

 to see that, as commissioners, Messrs. Lathrop 

 and Brackett are weighed in the balance and 

 found wanting. 



We advised the casting of votes in support 

 of Mr. Russell, and liad the pleasure of seeing 

 that gentleman elected, Mr. Brackett being 

 left like a flounder on the marsh at low tide. 



It was with interest that we listened to Mr. 

 Russell's stump pioclamation that Massachu- 

 setts was a commission ridden state, and liis 

 advocating the abolishing of the same was 

 encouraging. But what has he done, — simply 

 allowed the same old fossils to remain,-^ and 



now we advise that all who are interested in or- 

 nithology withdraw that support from him at 

 the com ing election. Cast no vote for a man for 

 governor who holds the office for a year without 

 making a move to rid this state of the 

 exi)ensive farce carried on by Messrs. Lathrop 

 and Brackett as tisli and game commissioners. 



We believe that the ornithologist has as 

 ranch right to collect a song bird as the 

 sportsman has to shoot a game bird, tliat the 

 permit system in this state is a failure, and 

 owing to the incompetent and arbitrary 

 manner of granting by Messrs. Lathrop and 

 Brackett. Permits are given through political 

 pulls, sent witliout re(iuest to some, and with- 

 lield without cause from others. While the 

 sportsmen of this state ignore our rights how 

 can they expect that we can support them 

 in their efforts to enforce the game laws? 



Brief Notes. 



It required the service of two police to keep 

 the crowd from blocking up the sidewalk in 

 front of our new store one day last week. 

 Every one says that it is the best disjilay of the 

 kind ever seen. We don't know bvit that it 

 may be, but as a free museum it takes well. 

 The week ending Oct. 17tli was a very lively 

 one in the taxidermy department. We hope 

 that all our subscribers in the business will find 

 it the same. Here's to a good .season. 



A large flock of about fifty Snowy Owls are 

 reported as being seen at Amherst, Mass , 

 Oct. 12th. Two Caspian Terns were shot at 

 Marshfield, Sept, 2(5, 18ill. One was a young 

 of the year. A number of Duck Hawks are 

 reported just now. 



A pet coon was on exhibition at our new 

 store — will eat a bird as (juickly as a cat. 



The six-jjoint star fish that was advertised in 

 the O. it O., a while since, was sold to H. J. 

 Hindensman, Anacortes, Washington. We re- 

 ceived quite a number of requests for it, liut 

 all came too late, except that of Mr. H. 



A Gambels Partridge Hew into the residence 

 of H. T. Dickson, 17 .Mystic avenue. Winches- 

 ter, Mass. Oct, I4th. The Kish and Game 

 A.s.sociati(m have liberated (juite a number of 

 these birds throughovit the state this season. 



R. T. Fisher reports that he took a Black- 

 capped Vireo, Sept. 8th, at Lanesbonuigh, 

 Berkshire County, Mass. 



Late this afternoon I saw a Partial Albino 

 Chipping Sparrow {Hpizplla socialis). Its head 

 and neck as far as the wings and the back to 

 the base of tail, pure white: wings, tail and 

 underparts spotted white and brown; legs and 

 feet pink. The bird was very tame and I 



