318 



THE OOLOGIST. 



'Twas moonlight and all things could he seen 



plain as day. 

 When two men with rifles came up from the 



way 

 Of the town road, hut luckily they did not see 



the kid 

 Who sat on the roof where he's partially hid; 

 There he shivered and shook like a teakettle 



lid. 



It was midnight, the rohbers wore masks and 



spoke low 

 They sneaked to the door, knocked and cried 



out^Hello ! 

 "We are sorry to call you Mr. Palmer so late 

 Please open the door sir and our case we will 



state. 

 Neighbor Smith's cow is ailing and the danger 



is great." 



The kind-hearted farmer came quick to the 



door ; 

 He even neglected to question before 

 It was opened. Then quickiy the robbers cried 



"hold 

 Up your hands you old duffer, we've come for 



your gold." 

 And they grabbed him, these cut-throats so 



fearless and bold. 



But the 'farmer was active and strong as a 



donkey 

 And besides that when riled was inclined to be 



spunky 

 So he struck out and knocked one down fiat on 



his back 

 And gave to the other a serious crack 

 Then the other jumped up n'gave the farmer a 



whack. 



Then the kid on the roof bravely grabbed up a 



brick 

 From the chimney, and threw it so careful and 



quick, 

 That it knocked down a robber and laid him 



out stiff. 

 It caved in his skull, and next in a jiff 

 He dropped from the roof n'gave the other a 



biff. 



Then a slip-noose was made of the rope hang- 

 ing down, 



And he suddenly slipped it right over the crown 



Of the cut-throat. Mr. Palmer held on with 

 his might, 



While the kid grabbed the rope and drew it up 

 tight ; 



And the robber soon threw up his hands in af- 

 fright. 



Soon the neighbors came over and the sheriff 

 drove down, 



And the prowlers were hauled to the jail in the 

 town. 



Then the trial came on and the egg-crank was 

 there 



And when on the stand the kid had to swear 

 What he did at the time. My ! The people did! 

 stare. 



A thousand, clean cash; the reward to the boy 

 As the robbers were tough ones and long did, 



annoy 

 The country around. And the old farmer said :: 

 ■'I'll adopt this smart youngster, for I'd surely 



been dead 

 If the boy hadn't helped me and had a good. 



head." 



So now the young egg-crank will inherit the. 



farm 

 And his plans for collecting all work to a charm 

 He has a big egg-case, six feet high or more 

 Chuck full of the rarest, but he always wants. 



more. 

 I'll stop this tale here or you"ll think me a bore.. 



Oology- 



What is oology? 



Webster says: — ''The science of eggs- 

 in relation to their coloring, size, shape 

 and. number. 



Who then is an oologist? 



Why, of course, oue versed in oology. 



Simply then, oology relates to the 

 study of eggs; that is to the egg-shell, 

 or the outside covering of the white 

 and yolk; or the vitellus and albumen, 

 as the scientist would call them. 



Is our whole province, then, confined 

 to the study of variously colored shells, 

 together with an idea of the number to- 

 be found in each nest and the shapes of 

 these lime-like coverings. 



A thousand times Eo! 



However, there are mauy so-calledi 

 oologists, who are content to accept the 

 definition as given above, and who 

 believe that they are advancing science 

 by simply amassing a collection of eggs 

 and in describing the colors, phases- 

 aud variations in shape and markings. 

 And, I am sorry to add that the chief - 

 est ones in the category are the so- 

 called closet-naturalists, of cities, gen- 

 erally; the ones who sit at home and 

 hire active collectors to do their bid- 

 ding. 



Now let me express myself as to my 

 opinion of what constitutes an oologist. 



