Oct. 1889.] 



A:N^D OOLOCrTST. 



159 



Brief No.tes. 



William Smith returned from Santarem, Brazil, the 

 last of September. As previously reported, he was 

 taken sick early in the spring and nearly lost his life. 

 He was carried on board the steamer in a helpless con- 

 dition, but improved on the voyage so as to be able to 

 walk upon arrival at New York. He is still very 

 weak, but gaining. Fortunately for the projectors 

 of the expedition he arranged with a party lo- 

 cated at Santarem to furnish them with specimens from 

 that locality in the future. Since his return word has 

 been received that the physician, an American, who 

 cared for him while there, has died. 



An Albino Cuckoo, pure white, p of the year, was 

 taken at Concord, Mass., Sept. 24th. 



A member of congress, pleading for the establish- 

 ment of Breakwaters, feelingly said, " Why, when 1 was 

 at the coast twenty years ago, the ' cliff ' swallows had 

 holes in the banks twelve feet, and to-day the holes 

 stick out seven feet, such is the encroachment of the 

 waves." 



Just received a fine Little Brown Crane (Grics cana- 

 densis), killed Wednesday, Oct. 9th, at Natick. Rhode 

 Island. J. M. Southwick. 



That's rough — "a fish's palate." 



" I was burned out, and saved nothing. Lost my en- 

 tire museum and job office. . . . The Hawkeye O. & O. 

 is discontinued for the present as I do not know where 

 to send it." E. B. Webster, Cresco, Iowa, Sept. 29. 



Where was Moses when the light went out'.' 

 Standard Oil Co." 



• In the 



A. I). Brown, Pipestone, Minn., writes, "The O. & O. 

 is one of the best Natural History Magazines published. 

 It should be with every family in the country whether 

 it contains a naturalist or not. It is a great educator 

 of children." [That's so. The O. & O. deals with a 

 subject that is constantly before us, and one upon which 

 the average man is more ignorant to-day than were his 

 ancestors when they used to skij) from bough to bough 

 in the treetops.J 



Why is a mad cat likely to be a successful one? Be- 

 cause it will purr severe. 



R. B. Trouslot writes that through all these months 

 of silence the Hoosier Naturalist has not been lost 

 sight of, and will again appear in our midst. Been 

 over to Paris and doing the continent'? 



What's the onlv thing on earth that's what it's 

 cracked up to be'/ "Ice." 



The "Ornithologists' and Oologists' Directory," said 

 to contain the names of the principal collectors in the 

 United States, Canada and Great Britain, published 

 by Menefee and Corless, San .Jose, Cal., is now ready. 



Heat expands and cold contracts. Johnny .says 

 that's what makes the days longer in summer than in 

 winttr. 



"On Sept. 18th, I observed a pair of Ruby-throated 

 Hummingbirds and again on the 20th. I also saw a 

 pair of Blue Birds on the 20th. Is not this rather late 

 migration for these birds? W. Darwin Porter, Wan- 

 nakee. Wis. [We should consider it late for the Hum- 

 mers, but not unusual for Bluel)irds to linger.] 



The National Magazine, published under the auspices 

 of the new " National Univer.sity," which opened Oct. 



1st, as its organ, began with the October issue. It con- 

 tains articles on literary, educational, and scientific 

 subjects. Published at 182 Clark St., Chicago, 111. 



Birds have been in unusual demand for millinery 

 purposes this fall. They are worn whole, without any 

 attempt at disguise. A mighty (small) impression 

 seems to have been made on the public sentiment. 



"Contributions to Science, No. 2," by Charles J. 

 Maynard, contains many articles of interest and sev- 

 eral colored plates. The illustrated article on the vocal 

 organs of the American Bittern is unusually interest- 

 ing. Two new species of butterflies from the West 

 Indies are described and beautifully illustrated. Parts 

 I to VI inclusive, of his eggs of North Aiuerican birds 

 are now ready. 



The changes and disasters that have followed one 

 after another in the ornithological publishing ranks 

 are stunning and disheartening, and now comes the 

 report of one more crash. " The Curlew," O. P. Hauger 

 & Co., with the young ornithologists' association 

 and the Wilson Ornithological Chapter of the 

 Agassiz Association, together with its " plans for en- 

 largement and improvement" and its well " considered 

 plan for observation," has fallen victim and has been 

 deeded, given, made over, packed, boxed and shipped 

 to W. H. Foote, Pittsfield, Mass. There seems to be a 

 maelstrom in that locality and our advice to other pub- 

 lishers is, "Johnny get your gun, get your gun." 



G. Dennison Keeler, M.I)., of Toledo, has been 

 making quite an addition to his private collection of 

 late. His calls at our ollice, while on his recent visits 

 to this city, were a source of unusual entertainment. 

 As we indulge in a cigar extracted from a box that he 

 left in our care, we feel in no mood to dispute his 

 statement that parrots are by no means a stupid bird. 

 He related an instance that occurred (perhaps at the 

 SiinthS(uiian). A new comer, as he was inspecting the 

 surroundings from his cage, espied a monkey in a 

 corner. "Hello, monk, hello!" No answer. "Hello, 

 monk, hello !" Again no reply. This time he took in 

 the situation and soliloquized, " Well, don't you reply, 

 I see you are stuffed, and you are such a poor job. I'll 

 bet you're the cha^i that started the monkey and the 

 parrot story." Another of the same order electrified an 

 old gentleman a few days since, who in passing stopped 

 and admiringly began the usual formula of "Poor Poll, 

 pretty Poll," when it shouted, "Say, old fellow, don't 

 you ask me to have a cracker or I'll knock you out." 

 But the doctor says both were outdone by a bird in his 

 town that was owned by a young man who was a noted 

 gallant, but of a rather diffident nature. He was par- 

 ticularly attentive to a certain young lady, and while 

 one day showing her his collection of ornithological 

 specimens took the opportunity to make a proposal. 

 In the usual manner on such occasions he was quite 

 spoony and sealed the compact by planting a kiss upon 

 her fair brow, when both were startled by the i)arrot 

 exclaiming. By .love ! this is torture ; bring me a bird ! 



But to our minds the prize should be awarded to a 

 parrot that was found in the bottom of his cage one 

 morning and taken to a taxidermist, one of our com- 

 petitors. While lying on the table awaiting its turn, 

 it revived, got up, but upon looking round, and observ- 

 ing the distorted condition of several stuffed specimens, 

 expired from fright and was not recognized when called 

 for bv its owner. 



That settles it— ej; 



in coffee. 



