THE OOLOGIST. 



263 



The Fascination of Oology. 



One of the most fascinating pastimes 

 Df the age is the study of ornithology 

 a.ncl the collecting of specimens of oolo- 

 gy- 

 It is a study that never tires, and is one 

 that is constantly full of new life and ex- 

 ■citement. A collection began in boyhood 

 •days, and partly finished in the declin- 

 ing years of life is a thing of beauty and 

 a joy forever. 



As one looks over his beautiful col- 

 lection, what pleasing i-ecoUections they 

 ■recall to his mind. Well do I remem- 

 ber when I tirst found my nest of Can- 

 dida Warblers, Sylvania ]msilla ])iIeolata 

 and Virginia Rail, Ball us virijinianus, 

 in fact each set of eggs l)rings back to 

 me that day's experience, the place, and 

 its happy recollections 



Many a day have I spent 

 "In the forest dim and old," 

 listening to the sweet voice of the Red- 

 ■eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus, or watching 

 the Wilson's Thrush, Tardus fusceficens 

 as he called to his mate from a neigh- 

 boring tree. There in that sweet soli- 

 tude, it was the natural communion 

 with nature, among the sweet wild 

 flowers. 



My brother Naturalists evidently re- 

 •call to their minds, such scenes, whicli 

 they treasure as some of their most hap- 

 py days. 



I am far from being an advocate of 

 the annual uest robbing by the thous- 

 ands of boys who, just for the sake of 

 having an "egg collection" rob every 

 nest of our songsters within their reach, 

 but for those who love Nature, the 

 scores of ditTerent species of birds whicli 

 have their habitation within our vicin- 

 ity, tiie study of their hal)its, and their 

 peculiarities, together with the beauti- 

 ful marking of their eggs, tliey are the 

 persons to whom I suggest the forma- 

 tioa of an oological collection, and th(! 

 continuance of it through life for it 

 will prove a constant reminder of days 



long gone by and they will recall mem 

 ories which time cannot eradicate. 



My business being that of a traveling 

 salesman, but a naturalise from birth, I 

 see before me sets of eggs collected in 

 various slates, and each has a short his- 

 tory, which make them all the more 

 dear to me, as they recall so vividly 

 those pictures of memory. 



Eighteen yecrs ago, in the county of 

 Chenango I commenced the formation 

 of my cabinet, and it has slowly grown 

 till to-day I have several hundred sets, 

 from all parts of our country, and they 

 have long reached that point, where 

 their intrinsic value (with me) has pass- 

 ed, for they are rich in the history of 

 oology, ever remindful of those summer 

 rambles, vacations, camping parties 

 and collecting trips. 



My naturalist friends will all agree 

 with n)e in saying that ornithology 

 grows more fascinating year by year, 

 and should we live till the "silver tints 

 the gold," we will still l)e, but less active 

 enthusiastic students in our study of 

 bird life. 



May the time hasten when we shall 

 have more students of ornithology and 

 less boy egg robliers. 



Wm. B. I^imbl'kmjkh. 

 Randolph, N. Y. 



To the Ornithologists of Illinois. 



The results from the short notice I 

 placed in tlie November Oologist, for 

 help in ornithological work on the 

 birds of this state, have been far from 

 satisfactory. 



The general distribution of j)robal)ly 

 the majority of the Illinois birds has 

 been sadly neglected l»y our most prom- 

 inent writers. In fact, Illinois compar- 

 ed with some other siates, has had veiy 

 little systematic and scientific research 

 among her birds. To jiartially remedy 

 this and advance the knowledge of our 

 Illinois birds, Mr. A. C. Murchison, of 

 Kewanec, 111., and I have decided up 



