48 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Yol. 14-JS^o. 8 



how others view the work of your magazine 



since coming into your hands from Mr. Jos. M. 



Wade. 



To review, its beginning life was on March, 

 1875, as the Oologist, under the management 

 of S. L. Willard of Utica, N. Y. An eight 

 page small octavo sheet. Soon an assistant 

 editor was called in, Mr. Jos. M. Wade, who in 

 Xov. 1879 took entire charge of the pigmy 

 Oologist, and increased the size of the pages 

 March, 1881. For a full account of the trials 

 and misfortunes of the yoiuig editors efforts 

 (S. L. Willard,) see Vol. .VI, Xo. 1, first page. 



As we see the niagazine now in its neat and 

 showy cover, with clear type pages, the O. & 

 O. stands among the first of its kind, as an 

 authority on bird life, and is looked for by 

 young and old, whether student, naturalist, 

 hunter or artist. Its record as a manual of 

 field Ornithology and Oologj' is known far 

 and wide. 



All I have met of the Pacific coast readers, 

 and they are not a few, speak of the O. & O. 

 in the liighest terms, and only regret that there 

 is not more of it and oftener in its visits. It 

 is adapted to all classes of bird lovers, 

 whether they be one with a cage bird or the 

 hunter, who only gets a "J/»(i Hen'^ on his 

 lonely tramps after web-footed kind. By the 

 steady progress it has made since it fell into Mr. 

 F. B. Webster's hands, January, 1884, with its 

 sixteen pages it stands one of the foremost 

 ''American magazines"' on bird life. I know j 

 all of its western readers will join me in wish- ! 

 ing a long and successful, as well as a useful [ 

 life to the Ornithologist and Oologist. i 



W. Otto Emerxim. { 



Fruit (ireen Home, Haywards, Cal. 



Editor O. & O. : 



The January issue just received is fuller than 

 ever of most interesting articles. Mr. Chad- 

 dock's article on retention of eggs is especially 

 full of entertaining tlioughts. Let us hope tluit 

 sometime when he is "dissecting an old hen 

 and finds some rougli uneven substances float- 

 ing round loose in the abdominal cavity" he 

 will preserve and forward them to one of our 

 high scientists Even they may be somewhat 

 puzzled. And I must also beg to call his at- 

 tention to the fact that it was not my old hen 

 that was in the tub. It was Tim's mother's 

 hen. I never owned but one hen and that was 

 a game rooster. Besides that I did not know 

 the egg. Tim did, and he didn't tell me bow 

 he knew either. If I ever see liim again I will 

 ask him. 



There has been a most unprecedented fiight 



of snipe here during the past week. They 



have actually overflowed the ponds, and are 



walking about in all sorts of places. I shot 



one this morning with a collecting pistol from 



my front door. If they get in much thicker 



they will trample down my early peas. Friend 



C. W. C. can tell you something about our 



snipe slux)ting down here, but now there are 



a dozen times as many as when lie was here 



in the Christmas holidays. Yovirs truly, 



Walter Hoxie. 

 Frogmore, S. C, Februaiy 10th. 



THE COLORADO BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. 



Editor O. & O.: 



Dear Sir: The above-named Association was 

 formed for the purpose of fully investigat- 

 ing the Fauna and Flora of Colorado, both 

 recent and fossil. It was first known as the 

 "Colorado Ornithological Association," and 

 the results of its work at ornithology is now 

 being published in the O. & O., in the shape of 

 a "List of Colorado Birds.'' Ornithologists 

 were, however, found to be scarce in the state, 

 and it was proposed to extend the scope of the 

 Association, which was done, and it is now 

 known by the above title, with thirty-five 

 members, numbering some of the most emi- 

 nent scientists, both in this country and in 

 England. 



Weekly "reports" (semi-ijopular) are now 

 being published, and special bulletins and an 

 annual report will also be issued, and sent to 

 members free. Meetings will be held as often 

 as possible, and it is intended to form a library 

 and museum at some future day, some of the 

 most active members being now at work upon 

 the same. 



The annual subscription is only *1.()0, and 

 for corresponding members 25 cents. 



I would respectfully ask all to join, and by 

 writing to our genial secretary, Mr. T. D. A. 

 Cockerell of West Cliff, Col., full particulars 

 may be obtained and a hearty welcome ex- 

 tended. Mr. Cixjkerell will also be glad to 

 receive any reprints, authors' separates, maga- 

 zines and publications for the library, which 

 already has many valuable books and papers 

 upon its shelves, with Mr. C. in charge. 



The new Association has already done good 

 work, and intends to keep it up. I hope all 

 the ornithologists in the state will join, as our 

 work on ornithology has but just begun, and 

 we need all the workers we can get. 

 Very respectfully, 



Charles F. Morrison. 



