THE OoLOGIST. 



If Not, Why So? 



And it was demonstrated that on 

 either side of the fence there stood the 

 two extremes, of somewhat conflicting 

 views perhaps but reciprocating the 

 profound respect that accompanies the 

 comprehension of kindred endeavor to 

 do what vou undertake thoroughly and 

 well, while upon the fence there posed 

 the intermediate a self evident illustra- 

 tion of a well known saying a some- 

 ttiiag about a Jack of all trades with a 

 mention of master of none. 



No If Just So 



Doubtless the reader of this valuable 

 little paper are aware of the appearance 

 in the July and August numbers, of an 

 article entitled "If Not, Why So ? "— 

 anyhow, the author is. If the resulting 

 criticism has afforded the readers an 

 interest and pleasure equal to the au- 

 thor's they should club together and 

 make him a present. The originality 

 of individual opinion is always interest 

 ing and while one clas^ has been heard 

 from it is to be regretted that the opera 

 glass adherent has remained silent as it 

 was hoped from him would originate 

 some criticism of true value. In the 

 author's mind the existing criticism is 

 somewhat peculiar not attacking the 

 facts laid down but developing a sub- 

 ject of extremists and assuming a "posi- 

 tion of greatest advantage, the middle 

 one, from which both sides of the mat- 

 ter can be viewed " with a superiority 

 the so called extremist can never hope 

 to attain as he possesses only the pro- 

 found knowledge. 



In the December number the only 

 direct bearing upon the articles is in 

 reference to the extremist, but where 

 this is appliable to the author he fails 

 to see. He is informed of falling into 

 the ever present error of the extremist 

 " there is no other side " while almost 

 his first words are " Adherants of the 

 opera g^asa are the warmest friends 

 our birds have, not only awarding them 

 the interest that is their due, but ac- 

 complishing it in a wholly harmless 

 manner. " Indication intimates a mis- 



understanding by some of the author's 

 aim. If Not, Why So V was merely an 

 endeavor to shovv that from a s'^and- 

 point of knowledge the opera glass 

 adherant is in no position to criticise 

 the ornithologist. 



A critic's first duty is to carefully 

 read the matter under consideration. 

 Mr. Bowdish was apparently displeas- 

 ed with the author's arbitrary tone and 

 hurried to the end impatient to com- 

 mence his criticism rather with a view 

 to say something than form any real 

 desire for further enlightenment. 

 However,the author will take him at his 

 word and comply with his request. 



An Ornithologist is a person versed 

 in the science of bird?. A man may 

 calculate the mean velocity of a stream 

 or run a two degrie curve by the de- 

 flection angles at the transit, and if his 

 knowledge extends no fuither, bears the 

 same ralative position to a Civil En- 

 gineer that the opera glass adherant 

 does to the Ornii.hologist 



Nothing debars the opera glass ad- 

 herant from entering the mystic zone 

 of advanced knowledge, but with the 

 first step he commences to realize the 

 value of material and in a broad sense 

 has ceased to be an opera glass adher- 

 ant. 



As the author muses in the past he 

 recalls much that could not have been 

 obtained by him from some less de- 

 structive source. He recollects " a 

 greater,er less number of bird's skins 

 made and of the eggs collected." Of 

 the latter only a small percentage were 

 broken and of the former not a single 

 one has been destroyed to his know- 

 ledge. Commencing in 1886 he has 

 kept a careful record of every nest 

 found containing eggs or young and of 

 every bird taken. Glancing through 

 the pages he finds a great many inter- 

 esting facts and notes the taking of 

 some birds considered very rare in his 

 state, and not before or since secured in 

 his locality, and he contemplates with 

 considerable satibf action the showing 



