Clapper Rails’ Eggs.— During the sea- 
son of 1881 1,000 eggs were taken from a 
tract of land not two miles square, and yet 
not half was taken that could have been. 
These eggs were taken to sell Jbr^ cooking 
JLlieStl VV CiL 2 
purposes in New York market. 
Vill.MaT.1833.p^ 
Alexander Wilson’s Works. 
Wlien Wilson wrote his book it was 
purely from nature. He went into the 
wobds and wilds for subjects and matter 
for his brush and pencil. If he quoted 
anytliipg it was from persons that had 
good opportunities for observation and in 
whom he could rely. He makes no quota- 
tions from the works of others except to 
expose their errors and correct their mis- 
takes. He was l^dT a * the Ameri- 
can Ornithologist, the father of ornithology 
in this country. His whole mind and en- 
ergies were bent on the one object of his 
life. He does not appear to have sought 
society, he does not appear to have been 
fascinating, and yet he mad® a few chosen 
friends and held them through life. They 
were slaves to his every desire. His friend, 
William Bartram, responded to his every 
wish. It was the same with his “ Brither 
Scott,” Alexander Lawson, without a doubt 
one of the best of engravers on copper of 
his time or any time since. Lawson never' 
crossed him but ohce and that was when 
he criticised some of his P oems in the edi- 
tion of 1790, when Wilson snatched the 
volume and threw it into the fire saying 
that “ if a friend found so much fault it 
could not be of much account.” Lawson 
never crossed him in his ornithological de- 
sires and we have it in his own words that 
he worked on some of the finest plates at 
prices that did not bring him over fifty 
cents per day. Only think of it, one of the 
finest copper plate engravers working for 
from three to five cents per hour. If that 
is not devotion to a friend and liis work 
we do not know what is. There has been 
written some six or seven lifes of Wilson, 
but not one that does him justice, not one 
that shows a proper research. Even his 
friend Ord did not grasp the situation, and 
only tells part of the story. Rev. Alfexan- 
irom eight to' sixteen, not many reaching 
the latter figure. The size and color varies 
very much. I have eggs 1^- inches long bv 
lUr 4 ) twLiZ rtA, Ini 
aj/vf/UA, 
<b<AL 
(P.46?. \jl\\.M.c*y. 
707. Oological. By Snowdon Howland. Ibid., p. 35. — Chiefly re- 
lates to the eggs of Cl apper, Virginia, and Sora Rails. Q t & Q» V oiaVlXS 
71 1. The Clapper Rail. By B. B. Ibid., p. 40. — Its abundance, 
habits, etc., in the marshes of Elizabeth, N. J. g.&o.voLvin 
