Vol. XXin ^ j^ Fisher, In Memoriam : Thomas Mclhvraith. % 



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the city Council. He was a prominent member of the Central 

 Presbyterian Church of Hamilton. When the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union established the Committee on the Migration of 

 Birds he became a member and was appointed Superintendent of 

 the Ontario District, which position he held for a number of years. 

 In 1889 he was elected a member of the Council of the Union for 

 that year. 



It is stated that his early interest in Canadian ornithology was 

 aroused by seeing some stuffed specimens, including a Flicker and 

 a Kingfisher, which had been brought from the Provinces to 

 Scotland. Although actively engaged in business enterprises of 

 various kinds he nevertheless was able to devote odd moments 

 to his favorite study of ornithology, and before he had been long 

 in Hamilton had formed quite an extensive collection of mounted 

 birds. This collection, which grew to be a representative one, is 

 said to have been made up of selected specimens and included 

 many birds that are very rare or no longer found in Ontario at the 

 present day. 



Mr. Mcllwraith's home, 'Cairnbrae,' was situated on the shores 

 of the bay, and, surrounded as it was by extensive grounds filled 

 with trees and shrubbery, formed an ideal home for a student of 

 ornithology. It was a natural resting place for numerous migrants, 

 and there in the early morn or cool of evening he secured many 

 rare specimens with which to enrich his cabinet. There on May 

 16, 1884, he found the remains of a Yellow-breasted Chat, and thus 

 added a new bird to the list of Ontario species. But though 

 much of his material was drawn from this place, yet it must not be 

 understood that other collecting grounds were neglected because 

 they were less promising or more difficult of access, for he knew 

 every nook and corner of the surrounding country where the 

 rarest species might be found, and he did not hesitate to brave 

 exposure and fatigue in search of them. It was not until his 

 youngest son, Kennedy C. Mcllwraith, became interested in 

 ornithology and accompanied him in field excursions that the 

 collection of bird skins reached any considerable proportion. 

 Association with his young companion increased his enthusiasm 

 for collecting and made field excursions much more attractive to 

 him. 



