76 
THE OOLOGIST. 
Devoted to Birds and Birds' E(fg< 
S. L. WiLLAKD & Co., - 
Editors. 
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THE OOLOGIST, Utiva, N,Y. 
JANUARY, 1876. 
A Bkief RfrrrRosPECT. — Agjiin we make 
om- appearance, tliis time with the c<uu- 
nu'ncenient oi'the Xew Year. Onr >iheet 
hnn improved vastly over the issues of AFc!! 
niid April of la.^t year, and yet is far hc- 
hitid Avhnt we wish it to l>c. Our ellbrts 
to render all our sketches and items on tliisi 
hraueh of popuhir natural liistory authentic 
anil interesting, have, wc believe, been ac- 
cepted by tlie majority of our suhscribers 
with great consideration. Wc have, as far 
as possible, thrown aside intricate scientif- 
ic i)nnciples as inconsistent with the aims 
of the paper, our nuiin objta't being to iur- 
nish plain, common sense, and instructive 
matter for the nmre juvenile and youtldid 
collectors, than for those older lutturalists 
whose knowledge is already developed too 
far to render a perusal of Thk Oologist 
unnecessary and unproductive. Yet, a- 
mong our subscribers are many, who, tho' 
extensive dealers in speciinens of natural 
history, and who themselves are nujsters of 
our science, take infinite pleasure iu receiv- 
ing our sheet. Our sincere thanks are duo 
our fnends for their generous assistance, 
and we continue w ith the cxpecUition ol 
lii<j:her and more elRcient aid. 
Wf. appear witli a few changes tliis month,- 
for the better, we hope ; our reduced sub- 
scription price, at least, slmuld be an in- 
<licative of improvenu'nt ami stability. 
AMEBICAN BIRDS. 
EXTRACTS 
Popular Naturalists. 
II. 
T[fE QBE AT BLUE HEBON. 
Ardea kerodias,— Linn. 
HE State of Louisiana Ims 
always been my iavourite 
jHtrtinn of the Union, al- 
though Kentucky andsome. 
-.ther States have divided 
my aiiections ; but as wc 
are on the banks of tlie 
Ohio, let u.s pause awhilPi 
good reader, and wat<-h the Ilcrou. Inn^y 
estimation, few of our waders are more lU- 
teresting than the waders of this family- 
TIu 'ir contours ami movements are alwaja 
graceful, if not ek^gant. Look on the one 
that stands near the marjiin of the p«i**^ 
streanj: — see his reflection dipping 'J. 
were into the smooth water, the bottom ot 
which it might reacli had it not U) contend 
with the nunu'rou.s boughs of those \Wg' 
niticent trees. Ilow calm, how i^ilent, kow 
graml is the scene ! The tread of the tall 
bird himself no one hears, so carefully does 
