I PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



the private affairs of Edward Harris or his friends. We only 

 wish the present generation of ornithologists to realize the im- 

 portant part he played in the early history of bird study in this 

 country. It is true that Mr. Harris' s greatest influence on orni- 

 thology was exerted through others; yet it would be doing him 

 an injustice to give the impression that he was not a keen, care- 

 ful and hard-working naturalist himself. We have been so 

 fortunate as to have had access to a considerable number of his 

 notes and journals, and they prove him to have been an en- 

 thusiastic and accurate student of nature. The results of his 

 observations however seem rarely to have been published. 

 Whether this was due to modesty or indifference we cannot say. 

 His letters, notes and diaries have that fresh charm about them 

 which we find in the writings of even the great ornithologists of 

 his day when they were all learning things which the humblest 

 bird student now knows. We always feel a quick wave of 

 sympathetic interest and fellowship when we read of these old 

 ornithological fathers puzzling over some bird problem, long 

 since solved, which to us is clear enough, thanks to the labors 

 of these very men. 



Edward Harris was born at Moorestown, New Jersey, Sep- 

 tember 7, 1799, and although quite a traveler this was his only 

 home until his death. Inheriting, as he did, a considerable 

 fortune, it was never necessary for him to actively engage in 

 money-making occupations. He was, however, keenly inter- 

 ested in agriculture and gave close and intelligent attention to 

 the farm estate at Moorestown. The breeding of fine stock 

 seems to have been somewhat of a hobby with him. While 

 traveling in Europe in 1839 he attended the great horse fair in 

 Normandy, and was so impressed with the splendid animals 

 there exhibited that he straightway imported a number of them 

 to this country. To him belongs the honor of having first in- 

 troduced the Norman horse into America. 



He was a grave and dignified man, with the courtly manner 

 of the best gentlemen of his time. He appears to have been 

 of a somewhat reserved nature, but alwaj's kind-hearted and 

 generous. When once he made a friendship it was for life, and 

 those who knew him best became deeply attached to him. One 



