44 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 
devoted his entire time to the pursuits of his naturalistic tendencies. 
But like many another naturalist, his retiring disposition, his quiet, 
inexpressive nature won him a very small audience among the com- 
mon people. His death in 1813 was recognized by the scientific 
world, but hardly outside of that. Audubon, with his Spanish 
ancestry and his French communicativeness, was among the com- 
mon people throughout his life. He knew and loved them. At his 
death in 1851 there was much interest aroused in the science of 
ornithology. Then came the really great things. Darwin’s pub-~ 
”? 
lication of the ‘‘Origin of Species,’’ and the work in this country 
of Louis Agassiz fanned scientific interest into a sturdy flame. 
This started scientific publication in America. And if we are to 
understand the nature-study movement and literature, we must 
recognize this background and forerunner in the scientific journals. 
In 1867, the ‘‘American Naturalist’? was issued by ‘‘The Science 
Press’’ in Salem, Massachusetts. In 1883, ‘‘Science’’ was begun. 
’ 
In 1891, ‘‘Nature’’ put forth its first volume. And from that time 
on there has been many a scientific periodical launched, carried 
through for a time and then recalled because its funds would not 
run it. But these three big periodicals have continued through an 
unbroken career. The content of these is more or less general, 
dealing with various phases of biology, and of the physical sciences. 
But these magazines are for the elected scientist, and not for the 
naturalist. What then came from the work of Audubon? If Darwin 
and Agassiz developed science, when and where did nature-study 
begin? he first naturalistic periodical of this country, which I 
located in point of time, was the ‘“‘Odlogist.” 
In 1875, the ‘‘Odlogist,” or, ‘‘Ornithologist and Odlogist’’ was 
published by F. B. Wébster Co., in Hyde Park, Mass. It is dis- 
tinctly of interest to note that this magazine contained such subject 
matter as that which would relate to collecting. It was a collectors’ 
magazine. hat is where nature-study began. Before most of our 
great naturalists became interested in the study of the out-of-doors, 
they were interested in collecting.” And this development of the 
individual is reflected in the progress of interest in the American 
people, the American mind, as it were. 
In 1884, at Gaines, New York, the first volume of another o6logi- 
. cal periodical was commenced. The ‘‘Young Odlogist” stated in 
its first volume that it was ‘“‘for the Student of Birds, their nests and 
eggs.’ Here was a periodical which was ci.-inctly naturalistic as 
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