marked “Supplements,” also bound in 
with the March number, is an unpaged 
“First-annual Report of the Am. Oolog- 
ical Society,’ occupying a single page. 
Bele 
Vol. III, Nos. 1-12, Mar., 1877-Feb., 
1878, pp. 102, incl. 2 pp. index, (pp. 17- 
18 (Apr.) and 83-84 (Dec..) ‘‘Supple- 
ments,” and p. 62 erroneously mark- 
ed “52.”) 8 ill. 
The Oologist: | A Monthly Journal 
devoted to the Study of Birds and their 
Eggs. |—| Edited by S. L. WILLARD. 
|—| VOLUME IV. | (woodcut of an 
egg) |. UTICA, N. Y.: | Published at 
No. 27 Oneida street. Med. 8 vo. 
Vol. IV, Nos. 1-12, Mar., 1878-Sum- 
mer, 1879, pp. iv-100+1 col. pl., (tem- 
porary suspension following the July 
issue until January, due to insufficient 
financial support.) covers, 6 ill. 
THE OOLOGIST. | A Monthly Jour- 
nal | DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF 
BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND’ EGGS. 
J—| Edited by JOS. M. WADE, S. L. 
WILLARD. |—| VOLUME V. | (cut of 
egg) | ROCKVILLE, CONN.: |PUB- 
LISHED BY JOS. M. WADE. Med. 
8 vo. 
Vol. V, Nos. 1-12, July, 1879-Feb., 
1881, pp. iv-96 (suspended after Nov., 
1879, until Aug., 1880, Oct.-Nov. num- 
bers bound under one cover.) 3 ill. 
This is the pioneer amateur oologi- 
cal periodical of America. S. L. Wil- 
lard, a typical American boy of about 
sixteen years, after conducting an orni- 
thological department in “The Reper- 
tory,” a western amateur paper, be- 
came convinced of the need of a serial 
devoted to birds and their eggs, and 
without help, no money and little ex- 
perience, engaged the services of an 
unemployed printer, and began the 
publication of this little paper. The 
first two issues were not only typo- 
graphical failures, printed with coarse 
type on thin paper with scant margin 
and the headings all set up in type, but 
the subject matter trite and of too 
manifold nature, needless to state it 
received severe criticism, and the dis- 
couraged editor at a loss to pay the 
printer, withdrew the _ publication. 
However, several inquiries for sample 
copies from surprisingly remote local- 
ities and one or two press notices, 
awakened a fresh determination to 
proceed. For the third number, he 
invested in a bit of engravers’ box- 
wood and carved a heading, at the 
same time he added a small font of 
type, sufficient to compose a single 
page, and negotiated with a boy friend 
to print it on his press, one page at a 
time. Five numbers were issued in 
this way during spare hours from 
school, when his friend having dispos- 
ed of his press, it became necessary to 
do the printing elsewhere. From his 
plans, a local blacksmith built a press 
with a capacity of just one page, on 
Which the next four numbers were 
printed. 
It must be remembered that the edi- 
tor was under the necessity of com- 
posing the bulk of the reading matter, 
particularly in the early volumes. be- 
fore the paper had many contributors. 
Beside writing under his own name, 
he published his own compositions in 
the form of essays for the editorial 
pages, Under the non de plume of 
“Ovum” he published a series of pap- 
ers entitled ‘Birds’ Nests and Eggs,” 
which ran for three years, having for 
its inspiration a similar series by J. 
A. Whitley in “Amateur Age.” Con- 
siderable also appeared over the name 
of “Avis.” Over fifty woodcuts during 
the series, most of them wholly the 
work of this enthusiast (except a few 
bearing the signature of S. Pryor, 
sculptor) very crude work of course 
but showing great industry. Volume 
II, and most of volume III were printed 
on a large amateur press he had pur- 
chased, and the balance up to the first 
four numbers of volume V, on a better 
and larger press which he also used 
for job printing. Beginning with the 
fourth volume, the periodical attained 
to the dignity of a cover and an en- 
graved design which is best described 
in the words of the proud engraver: 
“In the foreground, across the lower 
corner of the cover, appear three eggs 
strung upon a straw. A pair of Hawks 
have chosen a delightful position for 
their nest in the tree near the shore 
of the lake; the motherly Duck has 
nested early and is leading her little 
family into the reeds; the Egrit and 
Sandpipers are indespensible adjuncts 
to pleasure upon water; the Ruffed 
Grouse are both drumming; the Bubo 
virginianus knows very little about 
any Snowy Owl; a bird of prey, prob- 
ably an Eagle, appears just over the 
horizon, a number of graceful Swal- 
lows skim through the air, and the 
Downy Woodpecker has found some- 
—21— 
