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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



Apart from what he performed for the Society, he accomplished much for scientific 

 knowledge by contributions to several publications of great value, and by articles which 

 he furnished for some of the popular magazines. 



As these remarks will be supplemented by particular mention of Dr. Brewer's scientific 

 writings in a sketch furnished by his friend Mr. J. A. Allen, it will not be necessary for me 

 to make further reference to them, and I need only add that, had he lived free from the 

 business cares that until recently absorbed most of his time, much more might have been 

 looked for from him relative to the habits of birds, particularly of such as find a home 

 permanently or temporarily in New England. 



We of the Society will greatly miss his efficient labors in striving to complete the collec- 

 tion in the department of New England Ornithology, for the development of which he 

 manifested much and increasing interest. 



In the death of Dr. Brewer our Society has lost a most valuable member, and the 

 community, a good and wise citizen, one of whom it may be truly said : He was always 

 faithful to the duties of every position in which he was placed, and ever ready to work 

 where he recognized that his labors would promote the public welfare. 



The following notice of Dr. Brewer's scientific labors by Mr. J. A. Allen, was also con- 

 tributed. 



The death of Dr. Brewer removes another of the older American ornithologists, of 

 whom there now remain two only whose period of scientific activity extends back to the 

 time of Audubon and Nuttall. Dr. Brewer's first formal contribution to ornithology, enti- 

 tled " Some additions to the Catalogue of the Birds of Massachusetts in Prof. Hitchcock's 

 Report, etc.," was published in 1837, in the first volume of the " Journal " of this Society. 

 These additions numbered forty-five species and increased by one-fourth the list of birds 

 previously known as inhabitants of this State. Previously, however, he had furnished val- 

 uable notes and rare specimens of birds to Audubon, who in his great work on North 

 American birds, makes frequent mention of his indebtedness to " his young friend, Mr. T. 

 M. Brewer of Boston." 



In 1840, he became more generally known as an ornithologist through his edition of 

 Wilson's " American Ornithology," the only American edition of Wilson's work, except 

 Ord's, published prior to 1871. The " Brewer Edition," from its comparatively small cost, 

 placed this delightful work within the reach of a wide circle of readers, to whom the more 

 expensive original and Ord editions were inaccessible. It was enriched by the addition to 

 the original text of the synonymy and critical commentary of Jardine's edition, and by a 

 very useful and carefully digested synopsis of all the birds at that time known as North 

 American. 



In 1857 was published the first part of his " North American Oology," which forms part 

 of volume IX of the "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge." The full title of the 

 work " North American Oology ; being an account of the geographical distribution of 

 the birds of North America during the breeding season, with figures and descriptions of 

 their eggs " indicates very fairly its scope and character, but in addition to the topics 

 thus indicated, the work gives a pretty full exposition of the breeding habits of the spe- 

 cies treated, so far as then known, and also full tables of synonymy. Owing to the great 



