122 Deane, In Memoriam: Charles Aldrich. [Anril 



of birds, presented by the Smithsonian Institution, besides mani- 

 mals, insects, and representatives of other branches of zoology. 



The 'News-RepubHcan' of Boone, la., says: "Curator Charles 

 Aldrich was inspired to do this work by the knowledge that pos- 

 terity would be greatly hampered and disappointed unless it were 

 done. While the great mass of lowans were content to deal with 

 the present, taking no thought of the past or future, one man had 

 the insight and the unselfish devotion to his race to inaugurate 

 for them a place for a permanent record of their growth. Slowly 

 and by unstinted energy Mr. Aldrich brought the State into a 

 realizing sense of the need of the Historical Department, which 

 now is rich in its fund of information and its precious relics of the 

 past. None question now the need and value of Curator Aldrich's 

 work. He has founded an institution which will live as long as 

 literature and art, and for which generations yet unborn will rise 

 and call him blessed." 



In 1883 ISIr. Aldrich travelled extensively in Europe, visiting 

 England, Ireland, Germany, Italy and France, but he seems to have 

 been particularly attracted with England, which country he visited 

 twice later. While there he visited the great museums of London 

 and South Kensington, as well as, in his own country, the New 

 York American Museum of Natural History and the Philadelphia 

 Academy of Sciences. These were all graphically described in his 

 writings. While Mr. Aldrich had been a devoted lover of birds 

 and all nature from early boyhood, he was not in the proper sense 

 of the word an active ornithologist. His thoughts were, neverthe- 

 less, always in touch with the subject and in a quiet way he was 

 frequently writing articles for the press and was deeply interested 

 in bird protection. 



An Iowa paper states: "In the death of Mr. Aldrich the birds 

 and dumb animals lose one of the best and strongest friends they 

 ever had. His versatile pen was ever ready to take up their battles 

 and he did as much as any man in Iowa to create proper sentiments 

 for the care and treatment of all animals and birds." In the early 

 volumes of the 'American Naturalist' are short notes from his pen 

 and a few of his observations are recorded in the ' Bulletin of the 

 Nuttall Ornithological Club' and 'The Auk,' between 1878 and 

 1885. From 1897 to 1904 articles appeared over his signature in 



