240 



THE OOLOGIST 



I find an oil stove almost indispensible, 

 they are so cheap and yet so convenient 

 a tin pail holding from 6 to 12 quarts 

 for use in boiling, another pail for 

 refuse, forceps and .scalpels, besides a big 

 pair of wooden forceps, useful in taking 

 bones from pail while boiling. 



If you wish, arrange a barrel of wa- 

 ter fitted with a faucet. You will see 

 "what for" when you begin real work. 



All bones of birds skinned, those shot 

 for identification also those so badly 

 torn by shot that they cannot be used 

 for skinning, can all be utilized in mak- 

 ing preparations for osteological study. 

 Do not waste time in making skeletons 

 of the smaller birds. Keep the pelvis, 

 sternum and skull, also any peculiarity 

 of construction that may occur, such as 

 the tibia of a grebe, etc. 



Finally, my brethern, "go at it to 

 win." You will find many obstacles in 

 the path but do not give up Osteology. 

 Let us build our knowledge of the avian 

 family upon the avian framework, and 

 in the end you will find that your os- 

 teological researches have brought to 

 you a knowledge of the parts of a bird, 

 but, (what is more valuable) knowledge 

 of a Creator's mind, a Creator's power, 

 and above all, a Creator's love. For if 

 we study the creature, there will surely 

 creep into our minds and hearts some 

 knowledge of the Creator, whom to 



know is life eternal. 



A. Mowbray Semple, 



Poynette, Wis. 



Buzzard Island. 



One of my earliest recollections on 

 coming into the field as an enthusiastic 

 young ornithologist is an island located 

 abot 5 miles above the head of naviga- 

 tion on the Chattahoochee River, which 

 from the multitudes of Black and Tur- 

 key Vultures which inhabit the place, 

 is called "Buzzard Island." 



I had always longed to make a visit 

 to the island and collect some Buzzard 

 eggs which were said to be plentiful 



there, but as the -river at that point is 

 about half a mile wide and nothing but 

 rocks and rapids, the island has always 

 been considered almost inaccessible. 

 Under these circumstances I had about 

 come to the conclusion that I was never 

 to take the much desired trip, when one 

 day last May, my chum and bi other 

 oologist drove up in a buggy and an- 

 nounced the fact that his brother had 

 the day before; while on a fishing ex- 

 cursion np the river, succeeded in reach- 

 ing Buzzard Island in a batteau and 

 brought away a couple of sets of eggs of 

 the Black Vulture. That was sufficient; 

 I jumped into the buggy and we went 

 by and picked up another enthusiastic 

 friend and having been re-enforced by 

 the aforesaid successful brother who 

 was to act as guide, we immediately set 

 out up the river for Buzzard Island. 



Having arrived at a point nearly op- 

 posite the island, we found the batteau 

 moored safely in a little nook where the 

 water was quiet; she was quickly un- 

 fastened and we all four secured pad- 

 dles and shoved off into the rapids. 

 Our "guide" was confident we could 

 make it all right but after having passed 

 the first slue by hard paddling and care- 

 ful steering I don't think we were all 

 quite so anxious to tackle the next one, 

 which if anything looked less inviting 

 than the first. We were all good swim- 

 mers but in rapids like that the best 

 swimmer would not have much chance, 

 for the moment he touched the water he 

 would be clashed against the rocks and 

 disabled by having his leg or arm brok- 

 en. However, it was too late to turn 

 back now and no one felt like saying he 

 was afraid, so we again pushed off from 

 the temporary landing we had made 

 and after considerable hard paddling 

 and yelling and a profusion of entirely 

 unnecessary orders given by all mem- 

 bers of the party we succeeded in mak- 

 ing about a quarter of a mile through 

 the rapids. Here we came to a succes- 

 sion of shoals where the rocks were so 



