^°'"i^Ji"'] Allen, In Memoriam : George B. Seiuictt. i -> 



shortly before his death had reorganized his business as a stock 

 company, of which he was the president and manager. In this 

 way he hoped to become later so far relieved from business details 

 that a large part of his time could be devoted to his old love, the 

 pursuit of ornithology. 



Mr. Sennett appears to have begun to take an active interest in 

 the scientific study of birds about 1873 or 1874. This is attested 

 by numerous specimens in his collection collected by himself at 

 Erie, Pennsylvania, during this latter year. According to infor- 

 mation kindly furnished me by Mr. Chapman, Mr. Sennett attri- 

 buted the special awakening of his interest in birds to Dr. Coues's 

 ' Field Ornithology,' which was published in 1874, a copy of 

 which he bought as soon as he became aware of its appearance. 

 This naturally led to correspondence with Dr. Coues, and later to 

 their personal acquaintance and to the close relationship dis- 

 closed in Dr. Coues's editorial supervision of Mr. Seunett's 

 papers on Texan ornithology, published in 1878 and 1879. 



Mr. .Sennett\s first ornithological expedition was made in the 

 spring of 1876, when he visited western Minnesota for the special 

 purpose of ornithological investigation. The trip was very suc- 

 cessful, as shown by the large series of specimens, especially of 

 water birds, taken on this trip and still in his collection. He 

 appears, however, never to have published anything relating 

 especially to this season's work. 



His second expedition was to the Lower Rio Grande region of 

 Texas. As this later became his chosen field, the following- 

 transcript from his paper giving the ornithological results of his 

 first trip to this region will be of interest. Under date of Erie, 

 Pa., December i, 1877, he writes, in his letter of transmittal, as 

 follows : '' Last winter, having inclination and leisure to prosecute 

 the study of birds in a more extended field than was open to me 

 at home, 1 began to look about for a suitable locality. As is 

 always the case when real desire for study arises, avenues of 

 investigation opened in all directions ; but the weight of influence 

 drew me to the Rio Grande. Arranging with Mr. F. S. Webster, 

 of Troy, N. Y., to go as my assistant, and securing a complete 

 outfit, I set out for Texas on February 23d of the present year. 

 My plan was to work down the lower coast of Texas, and arrive 



