Jan. 1889.] 



AXl) OOLOGIST. 



firmed, for Mrs. Creeper sat upon the nest. 

 Tliis was tlie first time we had ever found one, 

 and only a "crank"' can imaojine our feelinos. 

 We readied home about dark, after a 25-mile 

 tramp over sandy roads and through scrub 

 oaks and underbrush. O! how good that sup- 

 per tasted, after an enforced fast of over 

 eleven hours. We propose to revisit this lo- 

 cality next year, and expect to find new things 

 of which our readers may expect to be informed. 



Fr<()ik A. Bates. 



Unusual Numbers of Goshawks and 

 Barred Owls. 



The rxoshawk is considered a somewhat rare 



winter visitor for this section, and I had not 



seen one for over a dozen years until this fall, 



when our taxidermist called me in to see a 



"new species of hawk." This was about the 



first of November, and, in about two weeks' 



time, four more specimens in fine plumage 



were brought to the same place. I also shot 



one in Nelson county, Dakota, about the iOth 



of October. Four specimens of the Barred 



Owl have also been brought in. This is also 



an unusual number, as only one specimen has 



been received here in the last six years. Mr. 



Pierson, the taxidermist above mentioned, 



and myself being the only 'dermists in town, 



all work of this kind would come to our notice. 



We have just set up a splendid specimen of 



the " Snowy Owl "' — rather early in the season 



for these northern visitors. 



//. L. Sh- nihni. 

 Janesville, Wis., Dec. 18, 1SS8. 



Editorial. 



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

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



Well, here we are again, witli ink on our pen 

 hardly dry from closing Vol. XIII, we open 

 Vol. XIV. As we glance back over our five 

 years' connection with the O. & O., for the in- 

 stant, it barely seems more than that between 

 the two issues, but when we contemplate the 

 changes, we are more fully impressed with the 

 reality. 



Should any of the early subscribers who 

 ceased their interest when the control fell to 

 our lot, take a copy of to-day and scan its 

 pages, what would most forcibly rivet their at- 

 tention would be the absence of the familiar 

 names of those who used to contribute, and 

 the question would arise, where are they? 



A number have joined the ranks with the 

 immortal Audubon, Wilson, and Nuttall. They 

 were not widely known,but were dear to many 

 of us. 



Each star, no matter how faintly 



It twinkles in far off space, 

 Is a part of a great constellation, 



No other can All its place. 



Others have retired from the field, as the 

 pressure of business has fastened its iron grip 

 upon them, — for such we feel a pity. We be- 

 lieve the time devoted to the study as a recre- 

 ation would more than compensate. Others 

 have outgrown the O. ct O., soared to a more 

 ethereal atmosphere, and are wearing crowns 

 of glory in the scientific strata. A few remain 

 firm and their kind words are received with 

 pleasure. But the sinews of war are found in the 

 young, and the O. & O. looks for its principal 

 support to those who are entering upon the 

 field. 



The position thatitoccui)ies, which is second 

 to none, and in which it will continue, is due to 

 its representing their interests. Controlled by 

 no special organizations, its columns open to 

 all, it is more general than it would otherwise 

 be. We have repeatedly called the attention 

 of its readers to the desirability of increasing 

 the regular svibscription list (the spasmodic 

 circulation is luxuriant). We are continually 

 called upon to furnish names of ornithologists 

 of various sections, when systematic observa- 

 tions are to be made, or there are important 

 announcements; then it is that the regular list 

 is of utmost importance. To-day there is no 

 medium through which hardly more than a cor- 

 pnraV H (juardof our working ornithologists can 

 he regularly reached! Let our readers consider 

 the matter and make an eft"ort to increase the 

 circulation. We do not ask it from a selfish 

 motive, but from a firm belief that a great ben- 

 efit may be derived. 



Unhinge Those Gates. 



It is a pitiful sight to see men, who believe 

 themselves to be in the full enjoyment of 

 American liberties, crawl on their hands and 

 knees under a gate to board a train on the Old 

 Colony Railroad. We hope that the public 

 will take steps to put an end to this nuis- 

 ance. 



Volume XIV., O. & O., will be printed by 

 Randall & I^angley, projjrietors of the Hyde 

 Park (Mass.) Times. 



