THE OOLOGIST * 
John Farwell Ferry. 
“Good afternoon; are you connect- 
ed with this Institution?” 
“Yes sir; is there anything I can do 
for you?” 
A number of years ago in August, 
the writer was leaning over the dis- 
ply case of North American birds eggs 
in the Field Museum of Natural His- 
tory in Chicago, when a tall athletic 
appearing young man of studious mein 
passed. Addressing the above words 
to him, a kind voice replied as above. 
That was the commencement of the 
friendship long existing between Mr. 
Ferry and the present editcr of THE 
OOLOGIST. 
Mr. Ferry died in Chicago at St. 
Luke’s Hospital on the 11th day of 
February, 1910, of acute pneumonia, af- 
ter but a few days illness. He was 
born October 12, 1877 and graduated 
from Yale in 1901, ranking well to- 
ward the top of his class. 
At different p-zicds of his life, he 
was connected with the Smithsonian 
Institution at Washington, the Field 
Museum of Natural History at Chi- 
cago, and the United States Biologi- 
eal Survey at Washington; doing 
field work for these institutions as a 
matter of choice. This he chose in 
lieu of a life of trade. He sought the 
green fields and bubbling brooks, for 
every day associates, rather than. the 
huge ledgers and bustle of the office of 
a great commercial institution. 
He was a grandson of the late John 
V. Farwell, one of the merchant prin- 
ces of Chicago, and in nhizn flowed the 
same sturdy Scotch blood that made 
for success in his grandfather, in ev- 
ery undertaking in which he engaged. 
Mr. Ferry was religious by instinct, 
and always championed the side of 
right regardless of popular opinion, 
or present policy. During his exper- 
ience in the field, ke visited the moun- 
19098 
tains of California, the deserts of Ari- 
zona, the Island of Porto Rica, the 
Isthmus of Panama, the Saskatche- 
wan Country of Canada, and the is- 
lands of the Carribean Sea, lying off 
the Northeast coast of South America. 
In the latter islands visiting places 
never before visited by white man, and 
discovering birds never before scienti- 
fically described by man, and thereby 
added to the known list of birds of 
that vicinity and materially. 
The writer was with Mr. Ferry for 
thirty days in the Saskatchewan 
country in Canada in the Spring of 
The close association of camp 
life revealed to me the many lovable 
characteristics with which he was en- 
dowed. A more ardent scientist could 
not be found. A more careful or ac- 
curate collector and observer is sel- 
dom seen. A more energetic person 
would indeed be a novelty. Many times 
while resting myself, after a hard days 
work in Canada and noting that my 
friend Ferry was still busy at someth- 
ing, perhaps way into the night—and 
sometimes he worked until two o’clock 
—I would chide him for attempting to 
do too much, or working too long. 
Another thing that impressed me 
much was the great regard that Mr. 
Ferry had for his mother, and the 
great amount of credit he gave his 
mother for his scientific success. 
Many, many times he told me of the 
interest his mother took in his work, 
and of the assistance she had been to 
him therein; more than once announc- 
ing with almost boyish pride, “Moth- 
er can make as good a bird skin as I 
can.” 
The family has lost, American Orni- 
thology has lost, and we have all lost 
one who deserved the highest respect 
and sincere admiration as a citizen, a 
scientist and a friend. 
Editor. 
