BULLETIN 



OF THE 



Michigan Ornithological Club 



Published Quarterly in the Interests op Ornithology 



in the Great Lake Region, 



Vol. IV. MARCH, 1903. No. 1. 



IN MEMORIAM— THOMAS McILWRAITH. 



WM. E. SAUNDERS. 



The news of the death on Jan. 30, 1903, of Thomas Mcllwraith, 

 of Hamilton, Ontario, awakened sad sympathy in many hearts ; 

 not the least numerous of these were the bird-lovers in Ontario 

 and elsewhere, who had experienced the happy pleasure of his 

 friendship. Many there are who have never been nearer to his 

 personality than to have been favored with an occasional letter, 

 but they too will feel sad to lose the genial encouragement, and 

 the chatty friendliness of his generously long letters. My own 

 acquaintance with him was chiefly limited to correspondence, 

 although I have spent many happy and instructive hours in his 

 pleasant home ; but my opportunity came too late in the day to 

 allow me the pleasure of accompanying him in the field, as he was 

 about sixty years old when I first called on him in 1883 or 1884, 

 and he seemed disinclined to brave the dews of early morn and the 

 other necessary vicissitudes of weather which must be encoun- 

 tered in field work. 



That this had not always been the case was abundantly 

 proven. Dr. Kennedy C. Mcllwraith, of Toronto, writes me that, 

 "Most of his early collecting was done in the early morning. Up 

 by 4 a. m. and orT to the woods, and then back in time for work." 

 His fine collections of mounted birds and skins were a joy to see ; 

 the former especially was composed so far as my memory serves 

 me, entirely of selected specimens, and included many beautiful 



