SanDom loles on latural Ibtort) 



Vol. 1. 



PROVIDENCE, JUNE 1, 1884. 



Entered at the Providence Post-Offiee as Second-Class Matter. 



No. VI. 



■]|anbom f ofc-s on f ntmnl f islori^. 



A Monthly Dkvoted to the Distribution of Use- 

 ful Knowledoe Concerning the Various De- 

 partments OF Zoology, Minerai.ogy, and 

 Botany. .'iO Cents a Year- 

 Addrcs« all cnniiminicationp to 



SOUFHWICK & JENCKS, 

 258 We«tini(i<terSt., Providcnco, If. I., U.S. A. 



We are willino;to accept from our patrons 

 postage-stamps in any quantity or denom- 

 ination below ten cents, and beg that the}' 

 will sen<l them in place of the new postal 

 note, which gives no greater guarantee of 

 safet}-, and which in the handling and col- 

 lecting causes the loss of a great deal of 

 valuable time. 



Influence op Scientific Studies. — While 

 it must be conceded that force of expression 

 and facility in the communication of thought 

 are best to be acquired through the philo- 

 sophical, dialectical, and rhetorical studies 

 and exercises which in the main compose 

 the curriculum of the older institutions of 

 our country, I believe it to be equally true 

 that the faculties of clear perception, of 

 careful discrimination, and of just general- 

 ization, are developed by the stud}' of nat- 

 ural history, of chemistiy, of physics, as 

 they can be; through no other educational 

 means.— Gen. F. A. Walker. 



It becomes our painful duty to announce 

 to our readers the death of Edgar A. 

 Small, of Hagerstown, Md. He died 

 April 23d, in the twentieth year of his age, 

 after a long and painful iUness, which re- 

 sisted the efforts of the most skillful physi- 

 cians. Mr. Small was well known to many 

 of our readers as an ardent ornithologist, 

 oologist, and artist, in all of which he ex- 

 celled to a wonderful degree, considering 

 his illness and limited opportunities. He 

 was painstaking and cautious, and his 

 every statement could be relied on, for it 

 was to the best of his belief. In his cor- 

 respondence to his most intimate friends he 

 expressed a perfect resignation, and calmly 



awaited the time when he should pass to a 

 better sphere. 



The papers of his native town give rare 

 tributes to his memory, which, had we the 

 space, we should like to print at length, for 

 few they are who suffer so much, are un- 

 complaining, accomplish so much, and 

 make so many friends, as our .young fellow 

 ornithologist who has just gone from our 

 midst. 



Prothonotary Wahbler. — Mr. R. G. 

 Hazard writes the following regarding this 

 bird, recorded by us in the last issue : 



" Mr. Herbert Holland, who shot the 

 Prothonotary says : The little fellow was 

 entirely alone, and was very tame, as if 

 wearied. This may have been the case, 

 if we may judge from the much worn tail 

 and wing feathers.* The capture was made 

 under a dam upon a small stream near here, / 

 and the spot was veiy swampy." / 



An English Corn-Crake in Rhode Is- 

 land. — Being recently called to name a por- 

 tion of the birds in the Franklin Society 

 collection, I found among them one of this 

 species. On the bottom of the stand was 

 written — " Land Rail, Cranston." As this 

 collection was made by Mr. Newton Dex- 

 ter, and by him presented to the society, I 

 made inquiry of him. He says it was killed 

 in Cranston about the year 1857, and taken 

 by the sportsman to Mr. Pertia Aldrich, / 

 from whom he received it in the flesh 



CoHRESPONDEKTS have favorcd us with the 

 following variations of color of iris : 



Bald eagle, adult, bright gamboge yel- 

 low. 



Bittern, straw. 



Wood Duck, male, yellow. 



* Quite a considerable proportion of a number of 

 our small birds reacli liern in spring in worn phim- 

 age, while that of other individaals is fresh and 

 bright. We ttiinlc several s|)ecies moult but once 

 each year, and that some individaals of other species 

 do the same. We invite correspondents' opinions 

 on this subject. 



