DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. i 



year 1802 Alexander Wilson took charge of the little school at 

 Kingsessing, near Gray's Ferry and soon made the acquaint- 

 ance of our gentle Quaker naturalist. It is our firm belief, that 

 had it not been for this actjuaintance, which soon ripened into 

 a warm friendship, Wilson's American Ornithology would never 

 have been carried to a successful end. In fact there is evidence 

 to show that its inspiration and commencement were directly 

 due to the influence and assistance of William Bartram. 



All that Harris and other friends and patroiis were to Audu- 

 bon, he was to Wilson, and far more, ^^'i]son was well nigh 

 penniless and friendless; with none of Audubon's grace of per- 

 son and charm of manner, to say nothing of his brilliant and 

 highly cultivated artistic powers. But in this uncouth Scotch- 

 man Bartram recognized the mind and heart of a true nature 

 lover, and patiently began to give him the instruction and as- 

 sistance which finally resulted in his taking up the study of 

 birds as his life work. It is evident that all the ornithological 

 lists and notes of William Bartram were put at Wilson's dis- 

 posal. Wilson quotes him constantly and gives him the full 

 credit due for this generous help. Unquestionably Bartram's 

 list of birds of the eastern United States was the most correct 

 and complete record of its kind before the time of Wilson; 

 while his "Anecdotes of a Crow " and " Description of Certhia " 

 show him to have been a close student of birds. Wilson in 

 writing to him in 1807 says, "The receipt of yours of the 11th 

 inst. , in which you approve of my intended publication of 

 American Ornithology gave me much satisfaction; and your 

 promise of befriending me in the arduous attempt commands 

 my unfeigned gratitude. From the opportunities I have lately 

 had of examining into the works of Americans who have treated 

 of this part of our natural history, I am satisfied that none of 

 them have bestowed such minute attention on the subject as 

 you yourself have done. Indeed they have done little more 

 than copied your nomenclature and observations and referred to 

 your authority. To have you therefore to consult with in the 

 course of this great jjublication, I consider a most happy and 

 even auspicious circumstance; and I hope you will on all occa- 

 sions, be a rigid censor and kind monitor, whenever you find 



