April, 1889.] 



AXD OOLOCrlST. 



63 



seen, those who trusted them would not be surprised 

 at the intensely dishonest character that would be 

 delineated. 



The quite amusing and interesting features of the 

 many amateur imblications that are continually spring- 

 ing up, are the assurances with which it is asserted that 

 "we have come to stay," in the first issue, tales of 

 the wonderful success from inpouring of subscriptions 

 in the second, and what becomes of the third issue? It 

 seems the Mecca of youth to start a pai)erand issue a cut 

 rate catalogue, believing it to be all that is necessary 

 to establish a lucrative business. Many who have 

 tried it will agree with us that there is vastly UKjre hard 

 work than appears in the phantom programme. 



A Black English Sparrow reported in the vicinity of 

 Lynn. A. M. Tufts. 



A fine specimen of the American Egret was shot on 

 Prudence Island, a few miles from Providence, R.I., 

 August 17, 1888. J. M. Southwick. 



I collected ray first sets of Bubo's eggs this season on 

 February 6, set of 2, February 8, set of 3. Two years 

 ago I took a set of 2 on January 28. The set of Febru- 

 ary C was from the nest described in an article recently 

 sent to the O. tS: O., and makes eleven eggs from it in 

 three seasons. I think this set would have been three, 

 had I waited a few days, as the eggs were, one fresh 

 and the other slightly incubated. Dr. W. S. Strode, 

 Bernadotte, 111. 



We congratulate Dr. Strode upon his recovery from a 

 short but .serious illness. 



To extinguish English Sparrows — leave them off of 

 all lists of birds. 



Owing to the increased demand for separates of ar- 

 ticles we shall in future charge for them. 



A Cowbird taken in Dartmouth, Xova .'>cotia, first 

 week in March. Flocks of geese passing over. H. 

 Austen. 



A so-called National Book Exchange publicly adver- 

 tises its private rates to members for the New Ridgway 

 Manual at a greatly reduced rate. If the work is not 

 worth more than they offer it at, why don't the pub- 

 lishers take steps to make the reduction general? 



We have received a number of communications 

 asking about a process of embalming advertised in our 

 columns. We refer to that of Dr. R. M. (iibbs. We 

 know nothing whatever about it. If it is as represented 

 it might prove of value in preserving birds till such 

 times as they could be attended toin the regular man- 

 ner. If it is not as represented, the fact should be 

 known. We are entirely disinterested except to Ijenefit 

 our readers. We would like to hear from some of the 

 300 who have sent the doctor testimonials. 



M. Dickey, the well-known milkman, captured a 

 butterfly on Cogswell street yesterday afternoon, March 

 2, 1889.— [Halifax Evening Mail. H. Austen. 



" The Herald (Boston) has received from George T. 

 Angell, the president of the Massachusetts Society for 

 the prevention of cruelty to Animals, the following 

 circular: I hereby offer 10 prizes of .§10 each and 20 

 prizes of .«!.5 each for evidence by which our Massachus- 

 etts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall 

 convict persons of violating the laws of Massachusetts, 

 by killing any insect eating bird or taking eggs from 

 its nest. I also hereby offer to the boy in every city 

 and town of Massachusetts who shall first, during this 

 spring or the coming summer, succeed in so taming 



wild birds that they will feed from his hand, a prize of 

 §5 in money and the society's paper, Our Dumb Ani- 

 mals, and other publications free for one year." 



That's right! Offer a prize to induce the boys to 

 coax the birds into their hands, and then pay the com- 

 panion who runs and tells. It inculcates such a manly 

 trait, you know.[?] This society so extravagantly lavish 

 of its funds proposes to revolutionize the plans of 

 nature by taming the birds. We warn it of the danger 

 of introducing dyspepsia by a possible change of diet. 

 We shall expect to see all the youth spending their 

 leisure hours this spring, distributing crackers and 

 cheese to our favorites, and the cry of " Birdie, birdie, 

 want a worm?" will be answered by "Peep, peejt!" 

 from every roadside. 



We are disposed to second the munificent offer in the 

 first clause, and will publish the name of any informer 

 who draws a prize at the expense of an ornithologist. 

 The name of such a beggar should be placed before us 

 as a yellow flag is on a pest house. 



It is safer for Mr. Angell to display his valor against 

 the ornithologists than to pursue a course as dangerous 

 and so full of snags, as taken by his associate, Mr. 

 Bergh of New York. 



The Herald a few days since called his attention to 

 the fact that President Harrison drove a pair of hor.ses 

 with docked tails, and we presume the above circular 

 was sent to show that it was only small game that was 

 receiving immediate attention. 



Two fine specimens of the Brant from Capt. Gould 

 reminds us that the Branting season is now in its 

 prime. 



Mr. William Brewster has two specimens of the 

 Labrador Duck in his collection at Cambridge, Mass., 

 and we presume that there are more to hear from. 



New Publications. 



Birxjrapliy of John Barlunan, from material 

 collected by the late Kev. John Bachman 

 Haskell. By C. L. Bachman. 12mo., pp. \'M. 

 Published by Walker, Evans & Cogswell, 

 Charleston, S. C. 



John Bachman was born in the town of 

 Rheinbeck, N. Y., February 4, 1790. At the age 

 of 24, by reason of ill health, he was forced 

 to seek a mild climate and settled in Charles- 

 ton, as pastor of the St. John's Church. Ac- 

 quainted with Wilson in his early boyhood 

 he became very much interested in Natural 

 History. In 1831 he met Audubon, who visited 

 him at that time. In 1837, the families of 

 Bachman and Audubon were united by the 

 marriage of John W. Audubon and Maria K. 

 Bachman. Bachman died February 24, 1874. 

 The work is one of unusual interest, fasci- 

 nating the reader from the start. The corre- 

 spondence between Bachman and the Audu- 

 bons, and other notes of interest to naturalists, 

 make it a desirable addition to their libraries. 



Contributions to Science, by C. J. Maynard, 

 Newtonville, Mass., a quarterly ($3.75 per an- 



