DECliMBER 1891.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



181 



THE 



ORNITHOLOGISTr.^'^OOLOGlST 



A .Mc.nthly .M;if;aziiii^ nf 



NATURAL HISTORY, 



KSI'ECIALLY DEVOTKO TO THE STIDV OF 



BIPIOS, 



THEIR NESTS AM) E(i(;S, 



and Ut the 



INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS. 



Under the Editorial .Man;tj;enient of 



FRANK B. WEIiSTER, 

 J. PARKER NORRIS, 

 FRANK A. BATES. 



Hyde Park, Mass. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



Boston, Mass. 



PUBLISHED AT THE 



MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS SUPPh DEPOT 



FR.\XIv Br..\[vE WEBSTER f'OMPANY, 



INCi>KP. (RATED, 



Hyde Pakk, Ma.ss., U. .'^. A. 



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

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



Editorial. 



With this issue we close the sixteenth vol- 

 ume of this magazine. During the )>ast year 

 we have made it more general in character anil 

 hy so doing have increased the subscription 

 list. From our experience we are satisfied 

 that, while some would prefer to liave it 

 entirely and exclusively scientific, they form 

 so small a proportion of its readei s iliat it wi.l 

 he for the best interests to meet the views of 

 the vast majority, and in the coming year wt 

 shall open our columns still further to other 

 departments of n itural history and items that 

 make us smile. We hope that all our readeis 

 will assist us hy sending in notes of interest 

 from all sections of tlie country. 



\Ve again call the attention of our readers to 

 the fact that a magazine of the nature of the 

 <). & O. is dependent to a certain extent upon 

 a class that is limited in number and so scat- 

 tered that they are very hard tt> reach. The 

 result is that the advertising that is necessary 

 is a heavy tax upon the financial resources 

 The course that we have jjur-sued has been to 

 send thousands of sample copies broadcast 

 throughout the country. There is another 

 source whicli, if available, would be a great 

 advantage. If each of our regular subscribers 



or those who take the magazine year after 

 year would make an effort to secure a new 

 subscriber for 1892 it would make an in- 

 crease that would enable us to still further 

 improve the magazine. We are aware that 

 the public cannot be expected to work without 

 pay for what may be considered private inter- 

 ests, but the fact should not be lost sight of 

 that the entire proceeds of our subscription 

 list is devoted to the mag.azine to make it 

 instructive and entertaining, and we leave it 

 to them to consider if a small effort on their 

 part would not reap its reward. 



Do not forget that we continue to send the 

 magazine if not otherwise requested. We 

 have adopted this course as it seems to meet 

 the wishes of the majority of our sv.bscribers. 

 While we hope that you all will extend your 

 kind support in 1892, should you wish it dis- 

 ccnitinued send us word at once. 



A Labrador Duck for Sale. 



Such a notice we think none of our readers 

 have seen for many ye.trs, an<l we doubt if they 

 will again. That the Labrador Duck is extinct 

 seems to be considered witlicuit question. 

 There are but a very few specimens known to 

 be in existence, of which there are less than 

 half a dozen in the hands of private individ- 

 uals and the balance in public institutions. 

 This would indicate that the chance to pur- 

 chase a specimen in tlie future is not likely to 

 occur. The one that we offer is a young male, 

 mounted and in tine condition. This first offer 

 is made in hopes that it may be retained in 

 this country, but we presume that, like many 

 rare things we have handled, it will be sold in 

 Europe. 



Brief Notes. 



As is our custom the color of the covers will 

 be changed with next issue. As volume after 

 volume is coiui)leted the field for distinctive 

 colors grows smaller. We shall shortly have 

 to go on tints which afford a wider range, and 

 no doubt the day will come wlien the reader 

 as he scans the aceumubited tiles will have his 

 vision mellowed by the more modern shades 

 sacli as subdued mouse, elephant's breath, (.ir 

 vapor on snow. 



An enterprising bootblack, the proprietor of 

 a small ro.on, placed the sign on the door, 

 "/?oi)/.v Blacked fnside." A Harvard student, 

 who chanced lo piss, was not quite satisfied 



