tup: oologist. 
BV *'OULt»<Uj.T. 
tliat some of tliem received more lotjical 
IIeMINISOENOES of a ToLLEOTOE uaniestlum sonic in use at tlic pres- 
' cut time. My note-books were handy at 
all times, and, let nie add here, tliat two- 
' thirds of what I am about to relate is taken 
, as direct extract;* fi-om them. I ^vi^h to 
r*ay, Iiowevcr, that I do not write witli the 
intention of elevating myself atalK hntsinip- 
ly to relate, as a .^ort of narrative, some of 
uiy adventures and .successei!! whik- in the 
field. 
O li GExrixii 
adv enture and a 
truly scientific 
.recreation, thci-e 
is no subject lor 
■ discussion that 
I embraces more 
tliought, instruc- 
tion and scientif- 
ic principles tlian 
oology. Give 
! me a uioiitlt's 
leisure time, a 
soiuid constitu- 
tion , a u d a 
spiivrs ' ^^!^U^^^ thorough kuoud- 
edgc of all the principles and mysteries ( ?) 
embodied in oology, and I am the "man 
made" ; not that I can and do possess these 
constituents of the true collector. The 
mind, though highly cultivated by other 
subjects, in a person with an insatiable de- 
sire for something else, is not really made, 
until it acquires the object of that desire; 
hence, a person who is deeply versed in i 
<;reek, Latin, trigonometry, &c., and 
who has, at the bottom of that, agi'eattal-I 
cut or natural desire for ornithology, is 
is more at home in the field than at his 
books ; knowledge acquired from personal 
observation and study, is more beneficial 
than all the information received through 
the agency of others. 
From childhood, my fancy for birds 
strongly developed itself, and my ideas of 
their habits nests and eggs grew more and 
ujore acute aud intense, as I, in turn, be- 
came more interested in my researches. 
The only impediment was a* deficiency in the 
ri*quisite text-books, (as from them only 
rnn\f] I olitain the names of the birds I rcc- 
ogiiized) consequently I was compelled U* 
name them myHfl/\ and, I can assure you. 
In the year 18fio, I took a decided stand 
on the side that my mitnral talent had in- 
<licated, and cotmiienced my researches t<> 
gain the coA cted knowledge. Of coursi'. 
my complement of re(juisites ne^'cssarv Ibr 
a thorough <"olloctor and naturalist was in- 
! complete, and I was obliged to use as my 
I weapon, an old rusty shot-gun, andahome- 
; made game-bag for my trophies. Never- 
theless, my ardor did not quail under these 
impedinieuts, ami my routine of collecting 
I connnenced. Of birds* eggs I then knew 
j nothing ; in fact cared but little about them. 
I would tramp into the forests, always car- 
rying my note-book with me, as 1 valued 
— and do still — its contents more highly 
I than all the specimens I was or am possess- 
ed of. Soon after, I learned the art of tax- 
idermy, and during '67, I verily believe 1 
skinned aud mounted more S])ecimens than 
I have since. True, my efforts in that 
line did not surpass(?) those of profession- 
al taxidermists, but notwithstanding that, 
my birds answered n»y purposes just as well 
as those prepared by experienced hands. 
My exploits while traveling through swamps 
thi<'kets, forests and streams of water were 
many, and, as some of them M'cre quite. 
inU*resting, I can do no better than to pr*'- 
sent them here, employing a ehrou(dogical 
form for the greater part of their narration. 
During the year 1807, I took a five 
weeks' collecting tour in the northern part 
of New Y(»rk, and during that time 1 pro- 
cured many new items anil skins. Mv jour- 
nal during that trip was constantly cmplov- 
ed, and I will quote a few extracts relating 
to the most intere-sling portion. 
