14 Henshaw, In Memoriam: William Brewster. LJan. 



tempted to increase the number of his readers by publishing in 

 popular magazines and, indeed, with characteristic modesty, 

 thought he was unequal to this form of writing. As a consequence 

 he is less widely known as a writer than he deserves to be, few 

 indeed outside of the ranks of ornithologists being aware of the 

 literary treasures hidden away over his name in the journals and 

 proceedings of scientific societies. 



And here a subject may be touched upon that the young orni- 

 thologists of the present day may well take to heart. Brewster 

 began to keep a diary at an early age, and he made it a rule to take 

 as much pains in writing of the day's happenings as though he were 

 writing for the printer. It is quite possible that this habit resulted 

 from his knowledge of Thoreau's methods. In any event his day's 

 tasks were never deemed ended until a page in his diary had been 

 written. And we may be very sure that to his habit of keeping a 

 diary and carefully committing his notes on birds every day to 

 paper were largely due his felicitous style, discrimination in the 

 nice choice of words, and general success as a writer. 



There is no need here to tell in detail of the Nuttall Ornithological 

 Club, of which he was the president for so many years, or the 

 prominent part he played in its origin and career. It came into 

 being in 1873 as a natural consequence of the enthusiastic interest 

 in birds on the part of a small coterie of young fellows in and 

 around Cambridge, and the interest has grown rather than lessened 

 as the years have gone by. 



Inspired by the example and success of the Nuttall Club, in due 

 course the American Ornithologists' Union was established on a 

 national basis, and rapidly grew into a strong organization. 

 Though his interest in and love for the Nuttall Club was in nowise 

 weakened, from the very first Brewster took great interest in the 

 Union, and was one of the three to issue the call for the convention 

 which met in New York, September 2(3, 1S83. After the organiza- 

 tion was effected he was appointed one of the committee of five 

 to assist in a revision of the classification and n:;>menclature of 

 North American birds. He served until his death upon this 

 important committee, and his extensive knowledge of the birds of 

 New England and of other regions enabled him to perform invalu- 

 able service in connection with it. In 1895 he was elected President 



