Alexander Wilson. 



In connection with the early history of 

 the enterprise of the elder Olarks and 

 thread making, the interesting fact is men- 

 tioned that Alexander Wilson, the father 

 of American ornithology, nsed to be em- 

 ployed by them in the days when he was 

 unknown and unappreciated. It was then 

 that Wilson indulged those vain dreams 

 of emulating Burns, and did so much aim- 

 less wandering on the banks of the then 

 unpolluted Cart, seeking an inspiration 

 that never came to him in its pure force, 

 and brooding much upon the wrongs of 

 the people, of whose cause he was always 

 the fearless champion. Little wonder that 

 his fellow-workmen regarded him as a 

 "lazy sort of a fellow," and left him to the 

 proverbial fate of the prophet in his own 

 country. How much he despised his hu- 

 man surroundings may be gathered from 

 an extract from his journal of this time, 

 in which he rhapsodizes thus upon the 

 beauties of Scottish scenery: "These are 

 pleasures which the groveling sons of in- 

 terest and the grubs of this world know 

 as little of as the miserable spirits doomed 

 to everlasting darkness know of the glo- 

 rious regions and eternal delights of par- 

 adise." Here it was that he gave forth 

 his "Groans from the Loom," a poem in 

 which he exalted the claims of labor and 

 deprecated the tyranny of the capitahst; 

 here it was that he published a satire in 

 the Scottish dialect, directed against a 

 Paisley manufacturer, and for that act 

 had to undergo a short term of imprison- 

 ment and burn the hbel with his own hand 

 at the town cross of Paisley. Not long 

 after this Wilson said "good-by" to his 

 native town and began life afresh in the 

 new world, where he took up the study of 

 ornithology with an earnestness and abil- 

 ity that brought him fame if not profit. 

 He never returned to Paisley, but his 

 memory lingers as a kindly radiance over 

 one ancient corner of the Seedhills fac- 

 tories, and in the town square his statue 

 has been erected, occupying there a posi- 

 tion of equal prominence with that of 

 Tannahill, the Poet, who was also a native 

 of Paisley. — London Society. 



— Alexander Wilson was a poet of no 

 little ability. In 1792 he wrote a poem 

 entitled "Watty and Meg" which, being 

 pnblished anonymously was attributed 

 to Bums, and for a time, Wilson allowed 

 this opinion to spread uncontradicted. 

 We give on another page, one of his pro- 

 ductions. 



Naturalist's Supplies, 



Minerals, Fossils, 



Ancient & Modern 



Indian Relics, 

 Agates & Precious Stones. 



Send stamp for Catalogue. 



FLETCHER M. NOE, 

 130 E. New York St. Indianapolis, Ind. 



Exchanges and Wants. 



Notice of Exchange, Wants, etc., inserted in this 

 column at the rate of 25 cents for 25 words, and 

 one half cent for each additional word. No no- 

 tices inserted for less than 25 cts. 



Wanted, — To exchange first-class sets of bird' s- 

 eggs with other collectors. Correspondence so- 

 licited. A. H. BRIDGHAM, Dexter, Maine. 



I want 1000 packing boxes of various sizes. 

 Any enterprising boy with a scroll-saw can make 

 them from old cigar boxes. I will give first-class 

 eggs, single or in sets, in exchange for same. 

 Write for particulars. T.VERNON WILSON, 

 Austin, ILL 



I Will Give First-class Eggs in exchange 

 for any of the following articles in good con- 

 dition: The whole or parts of a Human Skeleton, 

 Bicycle; Any Musical instrument; Microscope, 

 (Jackson Model) ; Any well-bound book on scien- 

 tific subject; Gun, (breech-loader, rifle or shot); 

 Case of surgical instruments; Dissecting scalpels; 

 Forceps, etc. My eggs are all fine. I have 400 

 varieties to select from. Write to me, and if you 

 have none of the articles mentioned above, state 

 what you have for exchange. Always give des- 

 cription and price when writing. 



WILL. C. BROWNELL, 

 No. 29 South Fourth St. Ann Arbor, Mich. 



T?ie Man-of- War Sir d. 



Mid- day has arrived, and threatening 

 clouds obscure the horizon; a thick mist 

 advances over the deep; the sky darkens 

 and as the angry blasts curl the waves, the 

 thunder mutters afar; all nature is invol- 

 -ved in gloom and all is in confusion, save 

 only the Man-of-war-bird, who gallantly 

 meets the gale. If he cannot force his way 

 against the storm, he keeps his ground, 

 balancing himself like a Hawk watching 

 his prey beneath; but now the tempest 

 rages, and rising obliquely, he shoots 

 away, and ere long surmounts the tumult- 

 uous clouds, entering a region calm and 

 serene, when he floats secure until the 

 world below has resumed its tranquillity. 

 — Birds of America. 



— The following was clipped from the 

 Chicago Inter Ocean of Jan. 22: 



"Mr. T. Vernon Wilson, a graduate of 

 the Austin High School, is the editor and 

 publisher of a monthly paper entitled 

 'The Oologist's Exchange,' the object of 

 which is to facilitate the exchange of birds' 

 eggs. The first number presents a neat 

 typographical appearance." 





