DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 5 



made commander of the Pennsylvania Reserves. He rendered 

 valuable service during 1861 and 1862, especially in the penin- 

 sular campaign, and was finally captured at Frazier's Farm, 

 June 30, 1862, in the seven days' battle before Richmond. He 

 was confined in Libby prison until his exchange in August, but 

 his health was so affected that he was unable to return to the 

 war, and resigned March 31, 1863. He died February 15, 1868. 



General McCall was married August 30, 1851, to Miss Eliza- 

 beth McMurtrie, by whom he had five children. 



He is described by his brother, in a manuscript history of 

 the family, as a man of extraordinary determination and force 

 of character, and who possessed much scientific ability. He 

 describes himself as " one for whom nature in her mildest hour 

 of infancy has always possessed unrivalled charms." He be- 

 came a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia, June 29, 1847, and, besides the paper on the Birds of 

 Texas and New Mexico already referred to^ published in the 

 Proceedings of the Academy, the following: 



' ' Description of a supposed new species of Columba inhabit- 

 ing Mexico, with some account of the habits of the Geococcyx 

 viaticus Wagler." Vol. Ill, pp. 233-5, 1847. The new species 

 Columba solitaria proved to be C. flavirostris described b}' Wagler 

 from Mexico in 1831. 



"Notes on some Mexican Birds heretofore not fully de- 

 scribed." Vol. IV, pp. 63, 64, 1848. Orpheus curvirostris and 

 Columba leucoptera. 



"Note on Carpodacus frontalis (Say), with description of a 

 new species of the same genus from Santa Fe, New Mexico." 

 Vol. VI, p. 61, 1852. This was C. familiaris based on excep- 

 tionally red specimens of C frontalis. 



In addition to these papers there are the numerous contri- 

 butions to Cassin's "Birds of California and Texas." Indeed 

 to judge from some statements in Cassin's letters to Baird, Gen. 

 McCall seems to have had no little part in starting this publica- 

 tion. Under date of June 7, 1851, he writes: "Col. McCall is 

 here, constantly engaged in ornithology at the Academy. He 

 is a devoiit ornithologist and possesses great knowledge about 

 western specimens"; and again, February 9, 1852, he says: 



