¥l2e Qafeupalist. 
Is a moiulily Jouiniil, Published at Fifty 
Ct nts ii year and dev oted to all bianclies ot 
^fiTV^fllx HISTOKV, 
Milking a Specialty, however, of 
(ieolosy, Ornitholog'y and Oology. 
Iniorniation on any of 1 he above Depart- 
ments solicited fioni all. 
K. B. Tiouslot & Co., Proprietors; 
K. B. Trouslot, Editor. 
Published at 1808 N. 6th St. Kansas City, Kas., 
by E. R. Irohind. 
All copy for January N"o. must be re- 
ceived by us before December 31st. 
Entered at the Kansas Cily, Kansas, I'ost- 
offle'e, for transmission throufjh the mails at 
second class rates. 
Mr. Will. Ii. Plank, publisher of the 
Literary Comjjanion, informs us of the or- 
ganization of a Natural History society in 
Kansas City, Kansas. 
We note that Mr. G. E. Ladd, a Har- 
vard graduate, recently on the Texas Geo- 
logical Survey, has been appointed assistant 
Geologist to Missouri. It takes something 
of a lad to fill this position. 
W. J. Gould, manager of the National 
Press Association, for amateurs, who occu- 
pied a column in the last issue of this paper 
writes us that he is com'pelled to abandon 
the idea for the present. As he states no 
reason for so doing we presume it is another 
case of financial embarassment. 
Another exemplification of the adage; 
"The pen is mightier than the sword," is 
furnished in the statement that the Russian 
government has abolished banishment to 
.Siberia. Following so close upon the pub- 
lication of George Kennan's vivid descrip- 
tion of the treatment of the exiles in Siberia, 
the. inference is plain. 
Two Snowy Owls, Nyclea nyctea. were 
received at the Market Square in Kansas 
City, Mo., from Kansas, on the 4th of this 
month. One from Great Bend and the other, 
alive, from McPherson. Wise (?) weather 
prophets seem to think this an indication of 
a cold winter. We will tell you more about 
it next spring. 
We send out many sample copies this is- 
sue, and have striven to mail them only to 
persons interested in nature. Of course we 
desire your subscription, but should you not 
care to subscribe or are not interested in 
this class of literature, please confer a favor 
on the publisher by handing this copy to 
some person known or likely to be interested. 
The Cyclopedias for 1S89 contain much 
notable matter on Geographical progress 
and discovery. Stanley's earliest dispatches 
contain many facts relative to the interior 
of Africa, which will consign many of the 
maps to the back number list. Dr. Frithief 
Janser's expedition through Greenland 
shows that land to be covered with an ice- 
cap of varying thickness, entirely blotting 
out the configuration of the land beneath its 
surface. 
Dr. Oscar Braecklein became a member 
of the Academy at its last meeting. The 
Doctor is a pioneer in these parts, having 
come to the place before Gould determined 
to make Kansas City a "whistling station." 
In those days Jack Rabbits were a rarety 
indeed, while before and immediately follow- 
ing the civil war, Conurus caroUnen.iis, 
Carolina Paroquet, was an abundant resi- 
dent. The Academy is happy in recogniz- 
ing so able a man as Dr. Braecklein as one 
of its members. 
Since many of the members of the Kansas 
City Academy of Science have undertaken 
to not only secure subscriptions for The 
Naturalist but advertising as well, some 
of the results of which can already be seen 
in this issue, and as the Academy has adop- 
ted The Naturalist, now in its fourth 
volume, as its official organ, we desire to 
state that, while there is no biy money in its 
publication, yet, evenif we were money out, 
as we have been in times past, its publica- 
tion \\ ill continue as long as we see any in- 
terest manifested in its life. Send in your 
subscriptif/ns and encourage a good cause. 
Wic publish the following foolish item, go- 
ing the rounds of the press, wliich indicates 
that almost anything, no matter how absurd, 
will be believed by some one: 
There are a number of cats in the service 
of the United States Postoifice. Tliese cats 
are distributei through the ditterent offices, to 
prevent the bags from being eaten by rats 
and mice, and the cost of providing for them 
is duly inscribed in the accounts. When a 
birtli takes place, the local postmaster in- 
forms the district superintendent of the fact, 
and obtains an addition to his rations. 
In a former number of The Naturalist 
mention was made of the great attractions 
at the 1 aris Exposition, namely the Eittel 
Tower and Edison's improved t^honograph. 
A third feature, not always mentioned, is 
the scourge of Fleas which attack strangers 
arriving from all parts of the world, 'i'hey 
invade every section of the city, the public 
vehicles and hotels swarm with them. In 
the United States "the nimble fiea which no 
man punisheth," makes life miserable to tiie 
yellow dog and the vagrant cat; but in Paris 
the vivacious insect disdains any kind of 
game but a writhing human victim. 
Mr. Dixon, the gentlemanly Taxidermist 
officing at 16, 18 and 20 East Sixth St., Kan- 
sas City, Mo., says there is very little de- 
mand for first class taxidermal work m his 
city. Having been there for more than 
eleven years, he is probably a competent 
judge, yet, when we called last week we found 
his "larder" well supplied with alargevarie- 
ly of mammals and birds from all parts of 
the country. Owls predominated, White 
Pelicans were common, Californy Mountain 
Quail were abundant, and Deer heads could 
be counted by the dozen, besides muclr other 
custome work. Evidently Mr. Dixon wont 
be idle for months to come, and he does first- 
class work too. 
As several, sufliciently interested in our 
N.\TURALIST to subscribe, have kindly sent 
fifty (50) cents instead of the hitherto regu- 
lar subscription price, and others have com- 
mented on the low price, we have raised 
same to fifty (50) cents, making, however, 
several l.beral inducements in the way of 
books, supplies, curiosities and specimens, a 
list of which appears on the last page of this 
paper, and which, we trust, will be appreci- 
ated by our friends. We feel very kindly 
towards all of our subscribers but especially 
so towards those who so generously sent 
more than we asked. We appreciate your 
generosity and shall strive to make our small 
sheet the more interesting in consequence. 
We have received regularly during the 
past ye ar., that excellent weekly, 'J'he 
Yuutlis Cumpani07i, published by PevryMa- 
son & Co., Boston, Mass., Each paper is read 
and re-read not onlv by ourselves but by 
many of our young friends, and older ones 
too. The choicest literature, suitable for 
all classes, of all ages, is here presented in 
the most palatable manner. The popularity 
of this exquisite publication can better be 
understood when it is know n that more than 
400,000 copies are mailed each week, to its 
subscribers throughout the Globe. By send- 
ing $1.75 now, you will receive the Comjian- 
ion from now to Dec. 31st, 1889, and for all 
of 1890. We have become so attached to it 
that we have arranged for its regular ap- 
pearance for another year. 
Many of our correspondents seem to be 
unaware that there is such a place as Kan- 
sas City, Kansas, and persist in addressing 
their communications to us at Kansas City, 
Mo. Now the facts are, Kansas City, Kan- 
sas, is the largest city in the state, 
having in the neighljorhood of 50,000 popu- 
lation. All the packing houses (but one), 
wdiich have made Kansas Ci^, Mo. so noted 
are in this city, and dozens of 
other industries whicli have helped to swell 
the notoriety of Kansas City, Mo. are in 
Kansas City, Kansas. We are not ashamed 
of hailing from Kansas, and trust 
that such of our correspondents who 
read this item will see that their letters to 
us, in the future, are properly addressed to : 
The Naturalist, 
1808 N. 6th Street, 
Kansas City, Kansas. 
In our last issue, our correspondent, Da- 
vid H. Todd, spoke of Rev. Dr. Bennett, of 
Kansas City, Kan. and his Geological col- 
lections. Since then we received a call from 
Dr. Bennett, who not only subscribed for 
The Naturalist, but invited us to exam- 
ing his collection. At the earliest opportu- 
nity we called on the Dr. The size of this 
sheet only, prevents us from giving an ex- 
tended account of what we there saw, repre- 
senting nearly fifteen years of patient and 
careful collecting in all parts of the U. S. 
His Nautilus are the largest we ever saw, 
being more than a foot across, and contrast- 
ed strikingly with other minute fossil shells, 
no larger than a pin head. 
Of some species the Dr. has hundreds of 
duplicates and while always extremely busy, 
have no doubt he could find time to ex- 
change some of his valuable specimens for 
others as desirable. 
The Kansas City Academy of Science, at 
its last meeting, adopted The NaturalisI' 
as its official organ. It is the desiie of the 
society that the secretarys' reports of the semi- 
monthly meetings be briefly given. Messrs 
Chas. Dawson and EdwardT.Keim were ap- 
pointed a committee to edit the papers read 
before the society, selecting for publication in 
The Naturalist those most desirable. 
Besides the literary help thus assured, the 
members have rendered considerable finan- 
cial assistance in the way of new subscrip- 
tions and advertising, which will be of ma- 
terial aid in helping us to improve The 
Naturalist in every way. In considera- 
tion of the excessive modesty of certain indi- 
vidual members, we refrain from mentioning 
names in this respect, but they, at least, 
know to whom we extend our cordial thanks, 
The Kansas City Star says: The natural- 
ists of this country, who started out to raise 
among themselves a fund for a monument to 
John James Audobon, having secured about 
$1,000 and a large collection of promises, 
have concluded to appeal to the public at 
large. The world never yet saw a man who 
knew the feathered tribes as did Audobon. 
There ought to be a ready response to the 
call. 
The appeal to Naturalists and the public 
at large was made months ago, through all 
the leading Scientific publications of the 
country. We have an electrotype of the 
proposed monument which appeared in May, 
i838 Naturalist, which we will take pleas- 
ure in mailing to any publisher who is dis- 
to use it. The matter had entirely slipped 
our attention. We supposed the monument 
was completed months ago, as it should 
have been. Brother publishers, keep the 
stone rolling until the necessary sum it 
raised. 
