THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
345 
ment of Pets, Poultry, and Bees, for all 
which we have secured assistance from 
specially competent contributors. These 
additions are to be made without trench- 
ing on the space now allotted to * 'Amateur 
Arts " and " Scientific Matters." Indeed, 
these departments will be improved in sev- 
eral ijarticulars, and we can fairly promise 
that the volume for 1884 will outdo any of 
its predecessors in interest and usefulness. 
Out of 780 young men under 21 years of 
age committed to the Eastern Pennsyl- 
vania Penitentiary duriug one year, 765 
had no trades, though 772 were graduates 
of schools. This is a sad commentary on 
the too prevalent notion both of youths 
and parents that the only respectability 
and all the opportunities for individual 
advancement are in the kid-gloved pur- 
suits. Young men roughly jostled out of 
the overcrowded professions and genteel 
employments find themselves utterly un- 
fit for anything useful, and in too many 
cases turn to crime as likely to afford the 
most satisfactory returns. It is not the 
lault of education ; it is the fault of the 
unfortunate social tendency of the times, 
which so seriously discriminates against 
legitimate labor, and falsely elevates 
white hands and good clothes and empty 
heads and pockets. 
Another thing in connection with this 
matter, was the fact, that a majority of 
the 772 school graduates had been in their 
boyish days, readers of the villianous 
literature that is so prevalent and cheap, 
.and not one of them had been provided 
with the Young Scientist or similar jour- 
nals, by their parents. Had these boys 
l3een regular readers of "ours," they 
would not now have been living at the ex- 
pense of the State of Pennsylvania. When 
will parents ever learn to provide their 
children with proper mental pabulum ? 
A number of leading ornithologists 
met in the American Museum of Natural 
History, New York, on September 26th, 
for the purpose of organizing a national 
association. Dr. Elliott Coues was elected 
chairman, and Mr. E. P. Bicknell secre- 
tary. The organization then adopted as 
its name The American Ornithological I 
Union. A constitution which was adopted 
set forth the objects of the union, tiie 
l)rincipal objects being to further orni- 
tbological science and to revise the names 
and reclassify the list of North American 
birds. James A. Allen, of Cambridge, 
Mass., Avas elected President, Dr. Elliott 
Coues and Mr. R, Ridge way vice-presi- 
dents, and Dr. C. Hart Merriam secretary. 
The society provided that there should 
be annual meetings. The number of ac- 
tive members was limited to fifty, and of 
foreign members to twenty-five, while no 
limit was fixed as to corresponding mem- 
bers. 
The following gentlemen were elected 
to active membership : — C. Aldrich, Iowa ; 
C. F. Bachelor, Massachusetts; C. E. 
Bendine, Oregon; E. P. Bicknell, New 
York ; William Brewster, Massachusetts ; 
M. Chamberlain, New Brunswick; C. B. 
Cory, Massachusetts ; E. Coues, District 
of Columbia ; D. G. Elliott, Long Island ; 
A. K. Eisher, New York ; J. B. Holden, 
New York ; T. Mcllwrath, Canada ; C. H. 
Merriam, New Y^ork ; E. A. Mearns, New 
York; D. W. Prentiss, Washington; R. 
Ridgeway, District of Columbia ; R. W. 
Shufeldt, Louisiana ; N. C. Brown, Maine ; 
Professor S. F. Baird and J. A, Allen, 
Cambridge, Mass. 
Base-Ball. 
The Detroits defeated the Eclipse 
Club, Oct. 8th, in Louisville, Ky., by 
6 to 5. 
The Peovidence Club missed a train 
and failed to appear, Oct. 6th, in Wheel- 
ing, W. Va., where they were booked to 
play the Toledo team. 
The Harvard Club's receipts this sea- 
son to Oct. 1st amounted to $4,609, and 
their expenses to $4,553. This leaves but 
a small balance on hand. 
Joel Samson, while engaged Oct. 5tli in 
a game in the neigliborhood of Elkharl , 
Ind., was hit in the temple by the ball, 
t'Mid died the same evening from its ef- 
fects. 
A GAME was played Oct. 6th, in Peoria, 
111., between the local ])rofessionals and 
the Allegheny. The visitors, who won hv 
12 to 7, were on their way home from 
