“The Young Peoples Literary Association 
of Tompkinsville” is mentioned in the Sesoy 
for March sth, 1859. In the same journal 
for March rath, 1859, occurs the following : 
‘Rev Henry Ward Beecher will deliver 
his Lecture: ‘‘ The Burdens of Society,” be- 
fore the Staten Island Historical Society, in 
the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, 
North Shore (Factoryville), on Thursday 
evening, March 17th. Tickets (25 cents 
each ) may be procured of either of the follow- 
ing gentlemen:—Nathan Barrett, George 
William Curtis, Charles Windsor, Theodore 
Parkman and Ab’m C. Wood—Also from 
Jacob B. Wood, Tompkinsville ; Webley I. 
Edwards, Richmond ; L. W. Goddard, New 
Brighton, or 17 William Street, New York, 
and at the door. Doors will be opened at 
63 o'clock, Lecture to commence at 7s 
o’clock. 
Nathan Barrett, 
George William Curtis, 
Charles Windsor, 
Theodore Parkman, 
George Tudor, 
Ab’m C. Wood, 
Lecture Committee. 
North Shore, March 8th, 1859.” 
The Staten Island Horticultural Society 
that flourished in 1864, seems to have been 
largely a literary society. Before it Mr R 
J. de Cordova delivered his ‘‘ amusing lecture 
upon Courtship and Marriage” ( Richmond Co. 
Gazette, Aug. toth, 1864); Mr. Thomas Der— 
mot gave readings from Shakspeare ( Rich- 
mond Co. Gazette, Aug 31st, 1864) and Mr 
John W. Carrington recited the poems ‘‘ The 
Blessing of the Twelve Tribes,” “The Old 
Chaise” and ‘‘ Barbara Fleechy.” 
In 1866 there was a Richmond Co. Agricul- 
tural Society, (Azchmond Co. Gazette, May 
gth, 1866.) The writer has a diploma 
awarded to John C, Thompson in September 
1868, “‘for best Bush Early Rose Potatoes,” 
From the foregoing it will be seen that at 
least two attempts were made in the past to 
encourage the study of natural history on 
the Island by means of associations, and also 
that there were other societies of kindred pur- 
poses, It seems a little remarkable there- 
fore, that so few facts regarding the natural 
[2 
history of the Island were recorded before 
the advent of our present Natural Science 
Association. 
Dr. Arthur Hollick read the following 
NOTES ON SOME STATEN ISLAND BIRDS 
Lanius borealis Vieill—On March 17th of 
the present year, while walking along Rich- 
mond Turnpike, near DeJonges’ paper fac- 
tory. I saw two birds apparently fighting, but 
in a few moments the larger one had grasped 
the other in its claws and was flying away 
The victor was much too small for a hawk, so 
I was interested_to know what kind of a bird 
it could be. Finally it fled across the road. 
not more than twenty feet away, and lit in a 
tree close by, with its victim still in its claws. 
It proved to be a northern shrike, or butch- 
er-bird, which had captured a biue-bird 
So far as Iam aware this is the first record 
of this species having been seen on Staten 
Island, although it ranges both north and 
south of here and breeds in this latitude. 
Zamelotia lutoviciana (Linn-)—On May 
13th, 1900, a speciman of the rose-breasted 
grosbeak was seen at Sandy Brook, ‘This 
species also has not before been reported 
from Staten Island,although we are within its 
The date on which it was 
indicate that it probably 
breeding range 
observed would 
nested here, 
Syrnium nebulosum (¥Forst)—In our Pro 
ceedings for April rith, 1891, may be found 
a note on a nest of the barred owl, in the 
woods between Willow Brook and Bull’s 
Head On each succeeding year up to and 
including1898 the nest was found occupied and 
the fact was recorded at our April meeting of 
each year. In 1899 the birds failed to ap- 
pear for the first time and they were absent 
in Ig00. It was reported to me that a speci- 
men of the barred owl was shot in that lo- 
cality in 1899, which probably accounts for 
the break at this date. 
On March 31st of this year the tree in 
which the nest had been made for so many 
years was found to have bean cut down, so 
that this interesting chapter in our local nat- 
ural history may be considered as closed, 
Fortunately we have a set of the eggs in our 
collection, f 
