272 Rhoads, Abbot's Birds of Georgia. [jjj y 



Unfortunately there is no mention of locality data, and the proof 

 that they depicted specimens of the birds of Georgia only, and not 

 also of the closely adjoining regions of South Carolina, appears to 

 rest in that case, quite as much as in the one about to be 

 narrated, largely on circumstantial evidence. Undoubtedly the 

 great majority are Georgia records but whether all could be 

 accepted as such, without question, in a present-day check-list, is 

 doubtful. 



Dr. Faxon goes jon to give some account of this really remarkable 

 naturalist, as the collector, artist and author of the earliest illus- 

 trated monograph of American insects, that splendid folio work of 

 two volumes in colors, depicting the ' Rarer Lepidopterous Insects 

 of Georgia.' Abbot was fortunate in having, as his editor and 

 patron, Sir John Edward Smith in this publication, which appeared 

 in London in 1797. 



If he had been equally fortunate in securing an ornithological 

 patron he would have forestalled by from fifteen to forty-five years 

 many of the discoveries made in United States ornithology during 

 the notable period covering the activities of Wilson, Audubon and 

 Bonaparte. 



So much by way of introduction; now for my story. 



In December, 1916, I stopped at Savannah for two or three days, 

 en-route for Cuba. During my stay I had the long anticipated 

 satisfaction of visiting " Wormsloe," the country seat and planta- 

 tion of the late Wymberley J. De Renne, situated on the Isle of 

 Hope, one of the coast islands about three miles from Savannah. 



Here is located, in a fine old colonial mansion the greatest and 

 best single collection of books, manuscripts and other literature 

 relating to the State of Georgia, and fittingly named by Lieut. 

 Wymberley Wormsloe De Renne, the son and literary successor of 

 Mr. De Renne, " The Wymberley Jones De Renne Georgia Library." 

 I was kindly escorted thither by Mr. L. L. Mackall of Savannah, 

 the enthusiastic and efficient librarian of this fine collection, who, 

 knowing my special taste for nature studies, soon produced some 

 very precious items in that line. Among these was a folio volume 

 of exquisitely drawn and colored original delineations of the rep- 

 tiles and batrachia of Georgia painted by and for members of the 

 noted Le Conte family. 



