DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 5 



in the librar}'^ of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Owing to 

 the rarity, as well as the scientific value, of Ord's contribution 

 to this work the writer re-published that portion in 1894. The 

 reader is referred to the Introduction of 'that reprint for an 

 estimate of Ord's modest services to North American zoology in 

 that connection. Briefly stated, it appears to be the first sys- 

 tematic work on the zoology of North America by an American. 

 Several species of mammals and birds are there described and 

 named for the first time, and four new bird names there given 

 are tenable. Most of these novelties were secured by Lewis 

 and Clarke's Expedition, then lately returned. On page 314 

 Ord pays tribute to the labors of his beloved Wilson, stating that 

 he had * ' published and prepared an account of two hundred 

 and sixty-five species, fifty-four of which were nondescripts, 

 when the Almighty disposer of events saw fit to close his useful 

 labors by death;" and in a foot-note adds: "He left drawings 

 of thirteen species more." Ord was so prominently the loyal 

 champion of Wilson's cause that on more than one occasion he 

 was forced to throw aside his anonymous cloak and openly enter 

 the lists in defense of his deceased friend. The most striking of 

 these contests was waged against Audubon's accusations of 

 plagiarism on Wilson's part made in the last volume of the 

 Ornithological Biography. In Ord's rejoinder, which was pub- 

 lished in the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 

 (Vol. I, pp. 272 et seq.), he places Audubon in a most unenvi- 

 able light, not only disproving the charge against Wilson, but 

 showing that Audubon had been guilty in more than one 

 instance of stealing from Wilson without acknowledgment. A 

 copy of this article was also sent to the Linnsean Society of 

 London, of which Ord was a Fellow. In his letter of trans- 

 mittal, a copy of which is in the archives of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, he states: 



*' There are some circumstances related in it which may give 

 rise to reflections by no means advantageous to the reputation 

 of Wilson's calumniator. However he who resorts to the stil- 

 etto can have no reason to complain should its point be reverted 

 to his own breast. The career of this adventurer in Great Brit- 

 ain has been truly a brilliant one, he has left an impression on 



