1382 SCRAPING ACQUAINTANCE. 
moreover, who has patel; been at school in 
his time, — for most of his words are spelled 
correctly, —and yet he knows my name only 
as he has seen it signed once in a while to a few 
lines in a newspaper.” Thoughts like these, 
however, did not prevent his replying to the 
note (my “ valued favor’’) with all politeness, 
although he confessed himself unable to answer 
my question; and by the time I had occasion to 
trouble him again I had learned that he was to 
be addressed as Doctor, and, furthermore, was 
an ornithologist of world-wide reputation, being, 
in fact, one of the three joint-authors of the 
most important work so far issued on the birds 
of North America. 
Certainly I was and am grateful to him (he 
is now dead) for his generous treatment of my 
ignorance; but even warmer is my feeling to- 
ward that city thrush, who, all unconscious of 
what he was doing, started me that day on a 
line of study which has been ever since a con- 
tinual delight. Most gladly would I do him 
any kindness in my power; but I have little 
doubt that, long ere this, he, too, has gone the 
way of all the earth. Asto what he was think- 
ing about on that memorable May morning, Iam 
as much in the dark as ever. But there is no 
law against a bird’s behaving mysteriously, I 
suppose. Most of us, I am sure, often do things 
