16 
THE OOLOGIST's DIRECTORY. 
How a Trade was Chosen by the Throwing of 5. Stone. 
A boy about 16 years old visited a friend in the country. 
He carelessly threw a stone at a kingbird, and to his surprise, 
killed it. His admiration was so awakened at the hidden red spot 
on the crown, that he wished to get it stuffed. The bird, however, 
spoiled, for there was no one near by to do such work. From that 
day a fondness for birds arose, which completely absorbed him. 
He bought birds of his friends who went shooting, and had them 
stuffed, and studied them as much as possible, both in books and 
in the woods. 
Early the next spring he made the acquaintance of a Professor 
of Natural History, from whose kind instructions he learned the 
rudiments of Taxidermy. He improved so rapidly, that inside 
of a year his instructor pronounced the work of this boy of 17 
equal to his own. 
The youth had meantime become the possessor of a gun, and 
a year from the time when his instruction began, went with his 
kind tutor to Florida on a three months collecting trip. The 
following summer he made a trip of two months to Illinois, collect- 
ing both in the northern and southern sections. The year f 
succeeding, a four months trip to the same State was made, which 
resulted in a collection of 800 birds, making an aggregate of 2,500 
in his collection. Late in the same year he learned of a new store 
being started in which they stuffed birds, and the proprietor was 
at once sought out. 
The gentleman had, when a boy, done some Taxidermy, and 
had a general interest in the various branches of Natural Science. 
He had beefi secretary of one of the largest Natural History socie- 
ties in the east, and finally the dry goods business, in which he was 
daily engaged, had become so distasteful to him that he hired 
a portion of a friend's store, and spent his noons and evenings 
building up this new business. He had, at the time of the meet- 
ing with the young man, a various but small stock of specimens, 
many of them being held on commission. 
Upon five days acquaintance a partnership was formed, but 
the senior partner still retained his position in the dry goods 
business for about three years, while the junior member staid all 
day with the new business. At this time their stock and trade 
having grown from a mere nothing to considerable proportions, 
the full time of both was required. 
Gradually, as trade increased, more hands were employed, 
until now several persons have permanent employment, and sev- 
eral extra hands are hired during the busy seasons. 
But the growth of this young establishment has not stopped, 
and to-day they hold the place of second in size in this country. 
Their stock of bird skins being unsurpassed, numbering not far 
from 10,000 specimens, while of eggs the number is nearly double. 
