MAJOR CHARLES E. BENDIRE. 



The Wilson Ornithological Chapter mourns the loss of Major Charles 

 E. Bendire, an Honory member, who died at Jacksonville, Florida, Feb- 

 ruary 4th, 1897, of Bright's disease. He had removed to Florida in the 

 hope that the genial climate might stay the progress of the disease, but 

 he died only five days after leaving Washington. 



Major Bendire was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, April 27, 

 1836, came to this country in 1852, and in 1854 enlisted as a private in 

 Company D of the 1st Dragoons, United States Army. After serving 

 for many years with distinction and rising to the rank of Captain, he was 

 retired iu 1886 on account of an injury to his knee. In 1890 he again 

 took the field and was brevetted Major for gallant services in fighting the 

 Indians at Canon Creek, Montana, on September 13, 1877. He com- 

 bined the characteristics of fearlessness with sound sense, always dealing 

 out justice to wrong doers, and always respecting the rights of both In- 

 dians and Whites. He was both respected and feared by the Indians, 

 who knew they could expect only justice from the White Chief. He 

 never treated them unjustly. 



Of Major Bendire's contributions to science, it is enough to mention his 

 two unequalled volumes of "Life Histories of North American Birds.'' 

 Never since Audubon, Wilson and Nuttall has any such comprehensive 

 work been attempted, and Major Bendire's extensive field experience and 

 intimate association with nature eminently fitted him to undertake so 

 great a task. It is not too much to say that these two volumes have 

 never been equalled in completeness and accuracy of treatment of the 

 habits of the species discussed. Our loss is the more keenly felt when 

 we realize that we cannot now look forward to the succeeding volumes 

 which he had planned and hoped to finish. These volumes and the col- 

 lections of the eggs of North American birds in the United States 

 National Museum, of which he was the Honorary Curator, and of which 

 his personal collection donated to the Museum formed so large a part, 

 will forever stand as monuments to his untiring devotion to the cause of 

 science. 



The excellent portrait of Major Bendire, which appears as frontispiece 

 in this issue, is by the kindness of Mr. Walter A. Johnson, editor of Tlie 

 Osfirey, Galesburg. Illinois. It was made about 1884. 



