The OOlogist. 



Vol. XXXI. No. 1. 



Albion, N. Y. Jan. 15, 1014. 



Whole No. 318 



Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, III. 



VOLUME XXXI. 



Away back in May, 1884, Frank H. 

 Lattin began the publication of THE 

 YOUNG OOLOGIST at Gaines, N. Y. 

 Its circulation at first was very limi- 

 ted, and largely among boys engaged 

 in making collections of birds eggs. 

 At the end of the first year the name 

 was changed to "THE OOLOGIST." 

 As years went by the circulation in- 

 creased, and the journal — a mere 

 leaflet — began to acquire a rank 

 among pther amatuer bird publica- 

 tions. Dozens of such blossomed 

 forth and died — yet there was some- 

 thing about THE OOLOGIST that 

 appealed to the bird students of the 

 country and it survived. Its circu- 

 lation grew, its influence increased, 

 until finally THE OOLOGIST be- 

 came the recognized organ of the 

 oologist's of the country, and likewise 

 an authority with ornithologists. 

 About 1905 Mr. Lattin retired from 

 active connection with the magazine. 

 He was succeeded by E. H. Short. 

 Both Lattin and Short were egg 

 dealers, and looked more to the com- 

 mercial than to the scientific side of 

 birdom. THE OOLOGIST gradually 

 neared the brink of the abyss of 

 oblivion, into which so many of its 

 contemporaries had plunged to 

 emerge no more. In March, 1909, 

 we purchased the little magazine of 

 our early days, largely as a matter 

 of sentiment, to save it from such a 

 fate, believing there was a field for 

 such a publication. As we had no 

 ax to grind, being a dealer in neither 



ornithological or oological specimens. 

 Not being in the game for commer- 

 cial gain, having nothing to sell; we 

 believed we were in a better position 

 to impartially serve the patrons of 

 this publication than others were. 

 Our aim has been to conduct a real 

 Oological magazine representative 

 of all interested in the science, with- 

 out fear or favor. One in which all 

 had an interest, and a voice. 



At once upon our assuming con- 

 trol, there rallied to the support of 

 THE OOLOGIST scores of its old 

 friends, bound to it by ties of former 

 years, and the result was gratifying 

 indeed. We are now publishing a 

 class of bird literature not excelled 

 by any other publication, no matter 

 how pretentious. Our illustrations are 

 the best that money and science can 

 produce. Our columns are open and 

 free to our contributors; are not con- 

 trolled by any click or circle. Young 

 as well as old are welcome to record 

 interesting observations, for we real- 

 ize that the young naturalist must 

 begin somewhere, we are willing to 

 help them begin. The egg fraud has 

 been almost exterminated, as the re- 

 sult to the campaign waged by THE 

 OOLOGIST. We begin the new year 

 and the new Volume XXXI as the 

 oldest existing bird magazine in the 

 Uniter States — save one which is but 

 five short months our senior — with 

 flattering prospects for 1914. We ap- 

 preciate the cordial support of our 

 friends, in the past and crave a con- 

 tinuance thereof for the future, assur- 



