Editorials 



69 



the magazine falls under heads three and 

 four, and consists of reviews, book news, 

 editorials, and the Audubon Department. 



Now, on the other hand, let us examine 

 several articles about to be returned to their 

 authors, which do not seem to meet our re- 

 quirements. The first, describes a 'free lunch 

 counter ' and names the birds that come to 

 it. We should be glad to give it space if 

 we had not repeatedly published similar 

 articles, some of them illustrated. (See 

 Bird-Lore, I, 19, 195 ; II, 177 ; III, 18, 

 74, 202; IV, 90; V, 30.) The second, 

 gives extracts from the note-book of an evi- 

 dently enthusiastic student. We can readily 

 imagine the pleasure with which the obser- 

 vations recorded were made, but they do 

 not appear to possess either scientific 

 importance or general interest. 



The third, records the occurrence of a 

 bird far beyond the known limits of its 

 range. Only a single individual was seen, 

 the observer was not familiar with the 

 species in life, and the incident, if recorded, 

 would ever be open to question. We can- 

 not see, therefore, that science would be the 

 gainer by the publication of this communi- 

 cation, so we return it. 



The fourth manuscript treats of 'Our 

 Sparrows.' It describes their plumages and 

 some well-known habits, but contains no 

 original matter nor indeed any informa- 

 tion which is not accessible to every one 

 with one or two bird books. It would 

 make an excellent article for almost any 

 other magazine than one devoted to bird- 

 study! 



The fifth article records with some de- 

 tail its author's experience in seeing an 

 albino bird. It is always interesting to 

 see a bird of this nature, but its mere 

 existence is of not the slightest scientific 

 importance. Albinism may occur in any 

 animal and is merely an indication of an 

 abnormal physiological condition. It is 

 due to lack of pigment, and this fact once 

 known, a white Crow is of no more scien- 

 tific interest than a black one. If, how- 

 ever, a white bird should be seen which 

 appeared to be aware of its conspicuous- 

 ness and was apparently far wilder than 

 other individuals of its species, then we 



should have a possible case of cause and 

 effect which would be well worth recording. 



Our sixth manuscript is in the nature of 

 a story. The birds are humanized, each 

 being given a name. The author appears 

 to stick to the known facts in the history 

 of the species under consideration, but we 

 feel we are here on dangerous ground. 

 Ernest Seton's success in this manner of pre- 

 senting natural history lore has tempted many 

 authors to imitate his methods, but the re- 

 sults have in most instances only emphasized 

 the ease with which one steps over the border 

 line of fact into the limitless field of fiction. 



The seventh to tenth contributions are 

 in verse. It is to be expected that the 

 emotions excited by an acquaintance with 

 the "world's best minstrels" should seek 

 expression through a poetic medium; but 

 to write rhymes is one thing, to write 

 poetry quite another. In almost every in- 

 stance we sympathize with the sentiment 

 to which the author would give form but, 

 alas! even the love of birds, inspiring as 

 it is, cannot make poets. This subject 

 of form of expression leads us to speak of 

 another kind of manuscript which Bird- 

 Lore rarely receives and never returns. It 

 may or may not set forth a fact of scien- 

 tific import; its value lies less in 'ivhat it 

 tells than in //o-xf it is told. This is the true 

 literature of ornithology. Such literature 

 is to be found in the writings of Richard 

 JefTeries and John Burroughs. One sees 

 the bird through the man's subjective in- 

 terpretation of it in its place in nature. After 

 all, is not this the best type of ornithology 

 which leads us to see birds in nature most 

 clearly and most truly ? Is not he the 

 greatest ornithologist who brings to all the 

 people a knowledge of the beauties of bird- 

 life ? Even rarer than the poet's gift is 

 this power to write of the living bird with 

 such insight, sympathy and eloquence that 

 even to those who know it best the writ- 

 ten word will reveal before-unthought-of 

 charms. But to us all is given the power 

 to observe carefully and record accurately, 

 and in time it may be our fortune to make 

 a valued addition to the world's knowledge 

 if not to the world's literature. — Engle- 

 i.vood, N. J., Feb. 6, iQOj. 



