36 



Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club. 



We are in receipt of a letter from Mr. Jno. "W. 

 Daniel, Jr., saying that on September 1, 1899, he 

 Avill begin the iDublication of a bi-monthly maga- 

 zine to be called the "Bird and Egg Field." The 

 announced staff includes several well known 

 ornithologists and oologists. 



SIMON POKAQON. 



Death overtook Chief Simon Pokagon at his home 

 in Lee township, Allegan County, on January 27th, at 

 the age of nearly seventy-four years. Chief Pokagon 

 was a full blooded Indian, the last chief of the Pokagon 

 band of the Pattawattomies. He was born in 1825, a 

 few miles from South Bend, Indiana, but soon after 

 came to live in Southwestern Michigan. While but a 

 young boy he was converted to the Roman Catholic 

 Ixiith by an Indiana missionary who also incited in him 

 a desire for learning, or as he himself puts it, "This 

 noble Christian missionary greatly impressed me with 

 the wonderful things white men could do, through the 

 mighty inventions and discoveries they had made; and 

 these so excited my love of the marvelous that my 

 youthful heart thirsted night and day to drink from the 

 fountain of knowledge at the white man's school." As 

 a result he was sent to Notre Dame, where he remained 

 four or five years; but desiring a more liberal education 

 he went to Oberlm, Ohio. 



By a treaty of 1833 a great deal of land belonging to 

 the Indians was sold to the government and Chief Poka- 

 gon' s principal employment for years has been the look- 

 ing after the annuities due his people. It is said that 

 his father sold the land on which Chicago is now built, 

 at the rate of three cents an acre. 



Simon Pokagon was a broad man and a good writer, 

 and was often called upon to address historical and other 

 societies. He was a guest at the opening of the World's 

 Columbian Exposition in 1893, and was honored by 

 first ringing the new bell of liberty on Chicago Day. 

 At the same time he made a speech in behalf of his 

 people, which was later published in booklet form on 

 the bark of the white birch. Many of his writings have 

 appeared in magazines and papers throughout the 

 country. He was not bitter against the white man as 

 might be supposed, but that the great changes in his 

 home and his people wrenched his heart cords is shown 

 when he exclaims, "All, all, has changed, except the 

 sun, moon and stars above, and they have not because 

 the Great Spirit, in His A^isdon, hung them beyond the 

 white man's reach!" 



Pokagon was not an ornithologist, but was a good 

 observer as well as an ardent lover of birds. One of his 

 articles, together \\ ith a picture of the author, was pub- 

 lished in the April, 1897, issue of this Bulletin. The 

 current number of Recreation has an excellent article by 

 him on '■• Ktigo-ge, the Wild Goose." 



Not only his friends will mourn his loss, but all those 

 who take an interest in his declining race. The path- 

 way of his life was none too smooth and he had on this 

 earth his share of sorrow; so ^\•e cannot but ieel that it 

 was with a sigh of relief that he passed from this troubled 

 world to join his friends who have gone before in the 

 Happy Ilunting Grounds of his fathers. 



A circular has just been sent out to the members 

 of the Michigan Academy of Science by its secretary, 

 Prof. W. B. Barrows, announcing that the Fifth An- 

 nual Meeting of the Academy will be held at Ypsi- 

 lanti beginning Thursday, March 30th, 1899, and 

 lasting two or more days according to the number 

 of scientific papers presented. The Michigan School- 

 master's Club will meet at Ypsilanti on Friday and 

 Saturday of the same week. A full program, to- 

 gether with other announcements will be issued a 

 week or more before the meeting. 



Report of the Committee of the A. O. U. 

 on Bird Protection. 



This report, published in the ^z^;/' of January, 1899, 

 should ])e in the hands of every bird lover in the 

 land. It is too comprehensive to admit of more 

 than cursory reference here, but some of the con- 

 clusions may be emphasized. To begin with it is 

 satisfactory to see that Michigan is not behind hand 

 in the good work. The stand taken by the Union 

 with regard to the taking of birds' eggs is laudable 

 in the extreme and it is to be hoped that all Ornitho- 

 logical Bulletins will follow in line and expunge 

 all those "egg hog" advertisements so much in evi- 

 dence. The plume hunter curse is well expounded 

 and it is gratifying to note that the milliners in 

 many of our large cities are in sympathy; whilst the 

 immense good which must result to the cause by 

 the giving of proper lectures and talks in our schools 

 cannot be overestimated. The necessity of framing 

 a specific act for the protection of our Hawks and 

 Owls is steadily becoming more patent and could 

 not have one more qualified to form an opinion than 

 Dr. C. Hart Merriau. Miss Merrian ably makes a 

 plea on behalf the birds which, though protected in 

 one State, have only to cross the boundary into 

 another to be ruthlessly slaughtered, notablj^ in the 

 South, and Mr. Mack ay champions the cause of those 

 which meet with a similar fate when their instinct 

 call then North. The League of American Sports- 

 men is justly credited with doing good work, and 

 Mr. Hornaday's report on the Destruction of our 

 Birds and Animals as well as Senator Hoar's bill 

 on behalf of a law to prohibit the importation of bird 

 plumes for ornamentation purposes, should be read 

 by all and where possible acted upon. Whilst en- 

 gaged in the pleasant duty of calling attention to 

 the good work going on, it is sad to have to refer to 

 anything like retrograde laws. It is assurely by 

 far from creditable to Massachusetts that the sea- 

 son on shooting certain ducks should be extended 

 just at the time when they are going North to breed. 

 It is a matter of sincere regret also that Mr. Mackay 

 feels that he cannot remain at his post a little while 

 longer. It is a pity he didn't have a few such men 

 as .ludge Pettengill of Boston to advocate his cause. 

 Want of space precludes more detailed allusion to 

 this very interesting and useful report of Mr. Wit- 

 mer Stone, but as it is to be published in very cheap 

 form for distribution it is to be hoped that the op- 

 portunity of reading it in its entirety may be taken 

 by all having the welfare of of our birds at heart. — 



P. S. 



Mr. James B. Purdy, \\hile attending the Street Fair 

 at Kalamazoo, called on Dr. Morris Gibbs. 



