86 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



in position of the specimen to indicate its indi- 

 vidual characteristics. 



As a result of my trial work, which seemed to 

 meet with the approval of the trustees and friends 

 of the college, I was engaged at an advanced 

 salary for the next year, and my title was that 

 of Acting Curator of the Museum of Biology. 

 Among the trustees and friends of the college 

 I must especially mention the Hon. John A. 

 Stewart and James W. Alexander, Esq., both of 

 New York, whose interest in the museum, and 

 whose kindness to me personally, proved incen- 

 tives to further effort. 



All through the summer and fall of the year 

 1875 I continued steadily to prosecute the work 

 of accumulating a local collection of the birds 

 of Princeton, chiefly mounted specimens, supple- 

 mented by some skins. By Christmas time some 

 six hundred specimens had been collected and 

 preserved in this way. 



The great obligation I owe to the late Samuel 

 J. Stockton, Esq., for his interest and aid, should 

 be acknowledged. He allowed me the full run 

 of his large estate, " Morven," where some of the 

 most valuable material in the way of birds for the 

 museum were secured. Richard Conover, Esq., 

 of South Amboy, also became a friend, and 

 it was through his instrumentality that I made 

 the first expedition for the purpose of increas- 



