46 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 
had its influence here. And then there comes an interesting little 
note which I think is as true an index to the character of the nature 
periodical and the attitude of the people toward the naturalist, as 
can be found. The note is in the first volume of the ‘‘ Young O6- 
logist’’ and reads: ‘‘ Mr. G. G. Pendall, of EKdniboro, Penn., writes 
us that he has a very curious specimen in the geological line. It 
bears a striking resemblance to a miniature human skull. The eyes, 
mouth and nose were formed by the action of water.’’ There are 
many persons still who are interested in-only this resemblance 
phase of nature-study. It is a good beginning if you do not stop, 
but it does seems a peculiar thing for a periodical on birds eggs to 
suddenly include such a note. It shows the nonscientific method of 
the periodical, and at the same time, the tendency toward interest 
in all nature, the tendancy which produces naturalists rather than 
scientists. Darwin’s observations produced scientists. This sort of 
random splattering, uncentered interest, humanized sympathy with 
nature, produced such men as Muir. 
In the same year that the ‘‘ Young Odlogist”’ appeared, the first 
volume of ‘‘ The Auk”’ was published in Cambridge, Mass. It was a 
quarterly and was issued by the ‘‘ American Ornithologists Union,” 
as a ‘‘Journal of Ornithology.”’ It was a period of initial stages 
of societies. The Agassiz Society had been formed in 1875, just two 
years after the scientist’s death, and in 1895, the Audubon Society 
was orgainized. ‘This is of interest, because the scientist was ready 
at once to take up the work of Agassiz, the master. But the natural- 
ist with the poetic dreaminess of his nature had to have a long time 
in which to dream of what had really been accomplished by his 
instructor, Audubon. And not until forty-four years had passed 
was he ready to launch into his work. This is quite truly indicative 
of the progress of the naturalistic periodical. It seldom proceeds 
evenly, uninterruptedly, but follows the fancy of its directors, and 
often dreams. 
There is little comment needed on the ‘“‘Auk.”’ It is a scientific 
magazine, but devoted entirely to Ornithology. That is, it has the 
scientific tendency. It is popular only to the ornithologist, but it 
would not be considered at all in the strictly scientific class. Of 
course it contains no literary material at all. 
Then a strange thing happens in the progress of the naturalistic 
periodical. All of these publications have been in the East where one 
would expect them to develop. The Puritan aversion to the pursuit 
