Vol. XXIX1 



1912 



J Brewster, //t iV/ewormm; Henry Augustus Pur die. 9 



Natural History from January 3, 1866, to October, 1875, but its 

 publications do not apparently contain anything from his pen, 

 although they mention an ornithological record made by him at 

 one of its meetings. 



The articles and notes which appeared under or over Henry 

 Purdie's name, of which a list will be given at the end of this 

 memoir, by no means represent in full the contributions which 

 he made to the literature of ornithology. For some of his most 

 important service of this kind was rendered indirectly, and in a 

 sense anonymously, through assistance and advice given to other 

 writers. Thus he helped Mr. Samuels very materially in the 

 preparation of the 'Ornithology and Oology of New England,'^ 

 published in 1867, and his critical knowledge and ability were 

 drawn upon still more largely by Dr. Coues in connection with 

 the production of 'New England Bird Life,' which appeared in 

 1881. As was eminently characteristic of him, he seemed not 

 only indifferent concerning the credit which he received for such 

 work, but actually averse to having anything said about it. Even 

 his closest friends were often unable to inform themselves definitely 

 through him as to the precise nature and amount of it that he 

 performed. 



During the earlier years of his life, Mr. Purdie was an active, 

 persistent and very successful collector, especially of nests and eggs 

 of New England birds. The birds themselves were seldom molested 

 by him, for he was averse to taking animal life of any kind, an 

 indifferent shot, and gifted with little or no skill in the art of taxi- 

 dermy. Nevertheless, he accumulated several hundred bird 

 skins, most of which were obtained by gift or purchase. At the 

 time of which I am now writing, his sense of hearing was remark- 

 ably keen and critical, but he was very near-sighted and habitually 

 wore eye-glasses. His high enthusiasm, shrewd powers of observa- 

 tion and deep and reverent love of nature combined to make him a 

 delightful and much-sought companion for out-of-door excursions 

 of every kind. Despite his intimate association with woods and 



1 In the Preface to this work Mr. Purdie's name receives httle more than casual 

 mention, but in a footnote to page .320 of the main text Mr. Samuels expresses 

 indebtedness to him for the use of "full and copious notes and memoranda on the 

 arrival of species, wliich are of value, having been conducted for several years." 



