84 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



breeding, what they fed on and, in short, their 

 general economy. 



My first interview with him was an entertain- 

 ing one. After discussing the possibility of his 

 working steadily, and arranging with that end in 

 view, he turned to me and said, " You know there 

 are a good many kinds of birds in the woods which 

 very few people have seen, and some which I do 

 not think any one has seen but myself." 



" You really think there are new birds in this 

 vicinity that no one knows?" I asked. He re- 

 plied, "Yes, I am sure of it." "Well," I said, 

 "whenever you bring me a bird that I cannot 

 show you is already known to men who have 

 studied, described, and perhaps figured it in some 

 book, for that kind of a bird I will give you one 

 hundred dollars in addition to your regular wages." 

 This made him open his eyes ; but at the same 

 time it did not convince him, for he said, " You 

 will surely get some," and I fancy counted on 

 spending the prize money he would obtain. As 

 his work rolled on through the years with me, 

 he appreciated the position, and with it came a 

 growing respect for a kind of knowledge hereto- 

 fore unsuspected by him. 



Of his antecedents I have been able to find out 

 little. He was a man about five feet nine inches 

 tall, rather slight in build, but of fine physique, and 

 of the general character that is described by the 



