THE OOLOGIST. 



109 



A list in Feb. No. gives eighteen nests of 

 species described as composed of "etc." 

 To be sure if only one or two species of 

 birds built their nests of "etc." we 

 might comprehend it, but when the 

 Prairie Warblers nest is composed 

 of grass, reed leaves, spider webs and 

 "etc." while the Brown headed Nut- 

 hatch hys a nest of bark, wool, 

 rotten wood "etc." we are certainly 

 in need of information. This way of 

 describing nest structures is common 

 and censurable. Describe a nest's ma- 

 terials and there stop. 



In the January No. appeared an 

 article which, as the boys say, yanks 

 the fruit-cake from the baker's empo- 

 rium, This article means well, I doubt 

 not, but it is so incongruous that it is 

 enough to make a man laugh. Un- 

 doubtedly it reads well to boys, but to 

 mature collectors it appears ridiculous 

 in the extreme. To a boy of big ideas 

 it may seem essential to carry a com- 

 bined gun, with interchangable barrels; 

 25 rifle cartridges, 35 shot gun car- 

 tridges* skinning outlit, 1 lb. of arseni- 

 cal soap, 3 blankets with the rubber, axe, 

 cooking utensils, dishes etc , and a big 

 knife in case you met an old "she bear." 



Great Livuis, I'd like to see the poor 

 boy start out on a trip. And think of 

 it, 2 lbs. of bacon and only four spoon- 

 fuls of coffee. If I had to lug it all, I 

 would mix the i pound of butter with 

 a pound of arsenic and take on start- 

 ing. No one so handicapped, can 

 travel and observe with pleasure and 

 profit. No wonder the writer did not 

 say a word about a pencil and note- 

 book. He had no room.! 



Boys the way to observe and collect 

 is to go light. Remember and sleep in 

 the house if you can. The seven-inch 

 knife is all nonsense, and the axe 

 hardly ever necessary. It is far better 

 to carry your birds home to skin, for 

 field skins are never good; never! never! 

 However if you are out for three or 

 four days it is well to have a half 



ounce of arsenic powder, to apply if 

 you shoot a rare specimen the first day 

 and can hardly save otherwise. Leave 

 your 'pound of arsenical soap, the 

 soothing pipe and the -long-bladed 

 knife and much other useless duffle at 

 home. Take instead, a good note book 

 two pencils, a clear head, two slices of 

 bacon, shot gun and ten rounds, if 

 needed, one blanket, a pair of good 

 eyes and ears. Let the old "she bear" 

 have a rest, you have no use for her, 

 Apply yourself to your observations, 

 and when you lie down to sleep at 

 night feel sure that you have accomp- 

 lished something in the way of dis- 

 covery, even if you have not robbed 

 some bird's nest. Boys make it a point 

 when you are out to exert your own 

 powers and not feel that you are inly- 

 ing on some other man's knowledge. 

 Search out something new, learn of 

 some peculiar habits unknown to others- 

 The woods and fields are full of oppor- 

 tunities for discovery, as the woods 

 and fields are also full of col'ectors who 

 go aimlessly wandering about learning 

 nothing worth remembering and final- 

 ly give up the foolishness, as they often 

 call it. Your egg-collecting is just the 

 very starting point and in time you 

 will be a thoughtful man and a natural- 

 ist. You will look back and think that 

 the little monthly OuLOGiSTwas the.pro- 

 motor of your deep interest and intense 

 pleasure in all that is connected with 

 nature. 



Another point; study the articles 

 written from month to month. Write 

 articles, and good ones too, write 

 compositions at school as required — 

 spend time and much pains on them 

 and after reading at school send to the 

 Oologist. Don't be hurt or- angry if 

 they are not published. Try again! The 

 effort did not hurt you, but strengthen- 

 ed you. The boy who is bound to 

 succeed will do so either at school or in 

 the woods. 



I would call attention to the article on 



