i3e 



THE OOLOGIST. 



rarely gets higher. than the luwer stage 

 of mediocrity, being in the vast major- 

 ity. Yet all of these oologists and nu- 

 merous collectors of eggs have a duty 

 to perform and a work to do, which if 

 properly followed will redound to their 

 credit, as well as give pleasure to the 

 students of the science. 



"Dear bought and far fetched" is an 

 expression we hear frequently and is 

 unfortunately applicable too often to 

 collectors of birds, eggs and other cab- 

 inets of natural history specimens. 



The sooner a lioy or man learns that 

 his field of labor as well as pleasure lies 

 all about him in the ornithological and 

 oological line, the better, for attention 

 and study given even to one of our com- 

 mon birds is more to be commended 

 than the purchase of a whole collection 

 of [celandic or Australiao eggs. 



Now another Avord before I close. 

 Don't forget the Oologist. Support it 

 by your example, as well as with your 

 cash subscriptions and field notes. 

 Don't forget to pay when called upon 

 for your dues. Neither should you 

 complain if your articles are not accept- 

 ed or pul)lished. Try again and you 

 will improve and succeed. The little 

 Oologist has done more than any 

 other magazine in its line to elevate and 

 promote oology and should be patron- 

 ized by ever}' lad interested in natural 

 history. 



SCOLOPAX 



The New Era in Ornithology. 



To those who have studied l)irds for a 

 quarter of a centurj' or more, the aston- 

 ishing development of interest in orni- 

 thology on this Continent during the 

 past century is most gratifying. 



It seems but yesterday when Wilson, 

 Nuttall and Audubon were about the 

 only authorities on the birds of this 

 country. No paper, no pamphlet nor 

 periodical of any kind came to bring us 



tidings, either new or old about the 



birds. 



Literature on this subject was soexpen-. 



sive, so im available to the student of 



ordinary means, that he was compelled 



to do without the charming aid of book 



instruction and companionship. 



By and by the grand work of Baird, 

 Brewer and Ridgway madeats appear -- 

 ance, containing so much new matter 

 that the aljoAe named w^orks seemed 

 antiquated, but this work was also toa 

 expensive for the common reader. 



But few of the lovers of birds could 

 pay $50 for their reading matter. 

 Meanwhile Samuel's work in a single, 

 volume, made its welcome appearance^ 

 Then that new departure of close analy- 

 litic method, Coues' Key came tu 

 hand, moderate enough in price, to be 

 within the reach of most bird students. 

 Still there was no single handy volume 

 on the birds of Eastern North America^ 

 with enough analysis to guide the com- 

 mon reader, and affording pleasing bi-. 

 ographies of enough species to make 

 the book at the same time fine consecu- 

 tive reading and an adequate reference* 

 It is needless to enumerate the Avorka 

 now before the public, on the habits of 

 the different species of birds in our 

 country, Avhile the number of periodic 

 cals now greeting us on every hand, 

 bear ample testimony to the aspiration 

 of authors on this subject. A few years 

 since one could almost count on his fin- 

 gers the writers who were able to speak 

 to the public on bird life, but now one 

 is greeted by ncAv names all over the 

 country of persons, who can tell ua 

 something gratifying, often something^ 

 new about our feathered friends. We 

 hail with joy the rising brotherhood in 

 our favorite science. A happy people 

 indeed must the lovers of nature ever 

 be. For them a jjure and peculiar well- 

 spring of joy, gushes up here and there 

 all over the land, a fountain sealed to 

 all else of the multitude of mankind. 



But why do we not know each othe^'' 



