240 



THE OOLOGIST 



I find an oil stove almost indispensible, 

 they are so cheap and yet so convenient 

 a tin pail holding from 6 to 12 quarts 

 for use in boiling, another pail for 

 refuse, forceps and scalpels, besides a big 

 pair of wooden forceps, useful in taking 

 bones from pail Avhile boiling. 



If you wish, arrange a barrel of wa- 

 ter fitted with a faucet. You will see 

 "what for" when you begin I'eal work. 



All bones of birds skinned, those shot 

 for identification also those so badly 

 torn by shot that they cannot be used 

 for skinning, can all be utilized in mak- 

 ing pi-eparations for osteological study. 

 Do not waste time in making skeletons 

 of the smaller birds. Keep the pelvis, 

 sternum and skull, also any peculiarity 

 of construction that may occur, such as 

 the tibia of a grebe, etc. 



Finally, ray brethern, "go at it to 

 win." You will find many obstacles in 

 the path but do not give up Osteology. 

 Let us build our knowledge of the avian 

 family upon the avian framework, and 

 in the end you Avill find that your os- 

 teological researches have brought to 

 you a knowledge of the parts of a bird, 

 but, (what is more valuable) knowledge 

 of a Creator's mind, a Creator's poAver, 

 and above all, a Creator's love. For if 

 Ave study the creature, there Avill surely 

 creep into our minds and hearts some 

 knowledge of the Creator, Avhom to 



knoAV is life eternal. 



A. Mowbray Sejiple, 



Poj'nette, Wis. 



Buzzard Island- 

 One of my earliest recollections on 

 coming into the tield as an enthusiastic 

 young ornithologist is an island located 

 abot 5 miles above the head of naviga- 

 tion on the Chattahoochee River, Avhich 

 from the multitudes of Black and Tur- 

 key' Vultiu'es which inhabit llie place, 

 is called "Buzzard Island." 



I had ahvays lougetl to make a visit 

 to the island and collect some Buzzard 

 eggs Avhich Avere said to be plentiful 



there, but as the river at that point is 

 about half a mile Avide and nothing but 

 rocks and rapids, the island has ahvays 

 been considered almost inaccessible. 

 Under these circumstances I had about 

 come to the conclusion that I Avas ncA'er 

 to take the much desired trip, Avhen one 

 day last May, my chum and bi other 

 oologist droA'e up in a buggy and an- 

 nounced the fact that his brother had 

 the day before; Avhile on a fishing ex- 

 cursion np the river, succeeded in reach- 

 ing Buzzard Island in a batteau an d 

 brought away a couple of sets of eggs of 

 the Black Vulture. That Avas sufficient; 

 I jumped into the buggy and Ave AA^eut 

 by and picked up another enthusiastic 

 friend and having been re-enfoi"ced by 

 the aforesaid successful brother who 

 Avas to act as guide, Ave immediately set 

 out up the riA'er for Buzzard Island. 



Having arriA'ed at a point nearly op- 

 posite the i.sland, Ave found the batteau 

 moored safely in a little nook Avhere the 

 Avater was quiet; she AA^as quickly un- 

 fastened and we all four secured pad- 

 dles and shoved off into the rapids. 

 Our "guide" w'as confident Ave could 

 make it all right but after having passed 

 the first slue by hard paddling and care- 

 ful steering I don't think Ave Avere all 

 quite so anxious to tackle the next one, 

 Avhich if anything looked less inviting 

 than the first. We Avere all good swim- 

 mers but in rapids like that the best 

 SAvimmer Avould not have much chance, 

 for the moment he touched the Avater he 

 Avould be dashed against the rocks and 

 disaljled by having his leg or arm brok- 

 en. HoAvever, it Avas too late to turn 

 back now and no one felt like saying he 

 Avas afraid, so Ave again pushed off from 

 the temijorary lauding Ave had made 

 and after considerable hard paddling 

 and yelling and a profusion of entirely 

 unnecessary orders giA'en by ail mem- 

 bers of the party Ave succeeded in mak- 

 ing about a quarter of a mile through 

 the rapids. Here we came to a succes- 

 sion of shoals Avhere the rocks Avtre so 



