NATURALISTIC PERIODICAL LITERATURE OF AMERICA 47 
of nature-study as such, had been hard to break. But such men as 
Audubon had great influence, and there were minds which did allow 
nature-study. Also, some had known Thoreau. It seemed incredible 
that one of these lovers of nature should develop right in the very 
midst of the Puritan influence, but such happened, and the com- 
munity has not yet entirely quieted down from the shock. In Ober- 
lin, Ohio, the ‘‘ Wilson Bulletin’’ published its first number in 1895. 
This is the first publication which had strayed from the Eastern 
atmosphere which I was able to discover. Were it a scientific 
publication, one would seek for some definite explanation. But 
since it tends toward the aturalistic side, we will dismiss it as 
one other eccentricity of a nature-lover. It is a bird journal and 
is the official organ of the ‘Wilson Ornithological Club.”’ 
There are never any poetic contributions to it, and never any 
great literature, but some of the contributions have literary merit, 
and on the whole, the magazine has a distinct appeal. The photo- 
graphs with which it is sometimes illustrated add decidedly to the 
content value. The magazine is non-technical, and of very great 
value to the naturalist. It is somewhat local, dealing mostly with 
the middle western ornithology, but it is a very splendid contri- 
bution from Ohio, and especially from its worthy editor, Dr. Lynds 
Jones. 
At about the same time that the ‘Wilson Bulletin’’ made its 
first appearance, another ornithological magazine was started in 
the far west. ‘‘ The Osprey,’’ a monthly was published in the state 
of Washington, but its life was very short. Tle last issue of it ap- 
peared in June 1902. It is only another bit in our naturalistic 
periodical history, and would hardly be significant were it not for 
its sudden appearance in the disjunct region of the western coast. 
It is the pioneer of the western periodicals. 
In 1897 there also appeared the first issue of ‘‘ Birds and Nature.’ 
This is the outstanding magazine of purely naturalistic character of 
all our periodical literature. It was destined to play the most 
important part and to wield the greatest influence of any of the 
magazines which were devoted to the interests and loves of the 
naturalist. In the first issue of ‘‘ Birds and Nature”’ there is much to 
consider which is of interest in our evolutionary study. The maga- 
zine was published by A. W. Mumford and Co., at Chicago. This 
publishing company is significant, for the naturalist will at once 
remember it as the one which published the splendid Mumford 
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