114 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 18-N0. 8 



On the same day I found a nest of the 

 Carolina J uncos. It contained two eggs, 

 and was situated under an overhanging bank 

 beside a much-used trail. One egg was 

 spotted with reddish-brown, sparingly on 

 sides and small end, heavily on large end. 

 The other was also spotted with reddish- 

 brown, but the spots formed a ring around 

 the large end. The nest was made of root- 

 lets and horsehairs, which last were probably 

 obtained from the horses pastured on the 

 mountain. 



Robins are not very common here in sum- 

 mer, but their numbers are increasing every 

 year. 



A few years ago Wild Turkeys nested on 

 a spur of a certain mountain not far from 

 Asheville. .Mi'itot Davis. 



Biltmore, N.C. 



Austin F. Park. 



The death of Austin Ford Park occurred 

 yesterday afternoon at his residence, 62 

 Seventh street, after an illness since Au- 

 gust from typhoid fever. The deceased had 

 been a resident of this city more than fifty 

 years and was widely known as one of the 

 most devoted and best informed ornithol- 

 ogists. For many years Mr. Park had been 

 a successful solicitor of patents, having had 

 an office in the Boardman building since 

 1854. His work in this line had brought 

 him in contact with some of the most prom- 

 inent inventors of the country. He was a 

 kindly, genial man, and possessed the affection 

 of a wide circle of friends. 



Mr. Park was born in Canaan, Columbia 

 County, May it, 1825, and after a prepara- 

 tory education in the common schools and 

 at the Columbia boarding school at Chat- 

 ham he came to this city and entered the 

 Rensselaer polytechnic institute in May, 

 1840, receiving in September of the same 

 year a certificate, signed by Professor Amos 

 Eaton, that he was well qualified for the 

 degree of civil engineer but was not old 



enough to come under the law. Mr. Park 

 continued a student of engineering, astrono- 

 my and other branches then a part of the 

 institute curriculum until March, 1841, 

 when he received the degree of civil en- 

 gineer. The young engineer did not lea\e 

 the institute on .receiving this degree, but 

 remained as a student of chemistry, geology, 

 botany and natural history through the 

 summer terms of 1S41 and 1842, laying 

 then the foundation of that exceptionally 

 large fund of knowledge which served him 

 so well in after years and was the founda- 

 tion for the taste for scientific subjects 

 which was a pre-eminent characteristic of 

 his life. Mr. Park remained as a student 

 and assistant teacher at the institute through 

 the winter terms of three years, and in 1843 

 and 1844 was engaged in engineering and 

 surveying in and near this city. In March, 

 1845, the institute honored him with the 

 degree of Master of Arts. In the succeed- 

 ing May he entered the employ of Phelps & 

 Gurley, with which firm he remained for 

 nine years, engaged in making mathematical 

 and philosophical instruments. During this 

 time he invented and patented several tele- 

 graph instruments. After severing his con- 

 nection with Phelps & Gurley, Mr. Park com- 

 menced business as a solicitor of patents, 

 the practice of which profession he contin- 

 ued until the illness which caused his death. 



Mr. Park was married in 1857 to Miss 

 Caroline Esther Wood, daughter of Aaron 

 Wood of this city. Mrs. Park survi\ es her 

 husband. 



For many years Mr. Park was a commis- 

 sioner of deeds of the city. He was one of 

 the founders of the Troy scientific associa- 

 tion, and had occasionally lectured before 

 that organization, his addresses being listened 

 to with great interest. 



Mr. Park was captain of company (I, 

 twenty-fourth regiment, N. G. S. N. V., from 

 December, 1869, until March, 1873. 



Mr. Park was the possessor of one of the 

 finest collections of birds in the countrv. 



