154 THE OREGON NATURALIST. 
DR: AL BERLE E POORE DEAD. 
Dr. Albert E. Foote of Philadelphia the 
distinguished scientist, and one of the best 
known dealers in minerals and _ scientific 
books in America, died on Oct. 11 in At- 
lanta, Ga., to which place he had gone in 
charge of the Pensylvania mineral exhibit. 
He had been in poor health for some time 
and was in the habit of spending the win- 
ter in a warm climate. He had no idea the 
end was so nearand believed his strength 
would be renewed if he could get to Fiorida. 
Dr. Foote was born in Hamilton, N. Y., 
February 6, 1846. After graduating at 
Courtland Academy, Homer, N. Y., he en- 
tered the class of 1867 in the University of 
the State of Michigan, where he took the 
degree of doctor of medicine, being especial- 
ly distinguished for his earnest work and 
scientific attainments. After some time 
spent as an instructor at Ann Arbor, he 
was appointed assistant professor of 
chemistry and mineralogy in the lowa 
State College, which he held tor five years, 
being very successful as a teacher. 
In 1875 Dr. Foote removed to Philadel- 
phia, and began the building up of a world 
wide business in minerals and _ scientific 
books. He wasalife member of the Acad- 
emy of Natural Sciences. of the New York 
Museum of Natural History and the Am- 
erican Association for the Advancement of 
Science. In 1872 he married Miss 
Augusta Matthews, a daughter of James 
Matthews, of lowa, who with two sons 
and a daughter, survive him. Dr. Foote’s 
extended travels both in this country and 
Europe made him well known in scientific 
circles. 
The public will be pleased to learn that the 
business with which Dr. Albert E. Foote was 
identified for the past 20 years, will be contin- 
ued with Mr, Warren M, Foote, a son of the de- 
ceased, as manager— a position which he has 
practically held for a number of years. 
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER 
Melanerpes torquatus, Bonap. 
Previous to the year‘93 I had not seen man 
yf y 
of this species in this vicinity, but during that © 
spring and summer I noticed them more partic- 
ularly, than at any other time, } 
They staid around the orchards, for awhile, 
when they first came seemingly searching for 
insects or other pests which were hidden under 
the bark, but later they retired to the tall iso- 
lated stubs and stumps of the forest, to prepare 
for housekeeping, 
I have watched these birds as they sat on 
some tall tree, where they could obtain a good 
view of passing insects, “Chey would dart at an 
insect and pass on to another tree, back and 
forth they flew until their hunger was satisfied, 
During the year ‘94 they seemed to be more 
plentiful, but they selected the tallest of our 
trees to nest in, therefore [ did not obtain any 
eggs. 
The male of this species, 2s of other species of 
the woodpecker, help in the excavation for the 
nest: while one rests and watches, the other 
works, 
This year when passing a burn; I saw a 
‘Lewis’ perched upona large shoit stub, as 
soon as he observed me coming toward him, he 
flew past me and perched ona tree, Think- 
ing there might be a nest there I took a hurried 
glance around the tree aud saw a large hole a- 
bout ten feet from the top, I had seen the same 
hole many times and had thought nothing of it. 
But this time I concluded to‘‘shin up” and look 
in. Nearing the hole Mr, Lewis (for it was 
the male I had seen) came and perched on the 
top of the stub and looked at me as much as to 
say, ‘* You will get fooled if you look in that, 
hole,” but never the less I kept climbing until 
the hole was reached, and to my surprise and 
disgust it wasa “‘fake”, Idesended wit h more 
sjeed, begrimed and covered with coal dust, de- 
claring, ‘*That there was no nest in that stub ” 
Several days later as I was passing by this par. 
ticular stub I saw Mr, Lewis perched on top. 
On examining the stub again (more closely than 
before) I noticed a small hole about one foot 
from the top, this, [ said, must be the nest, bu, 
a a ae 
