5X^0. 
REPORT ON THE BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 
I 1 ,ZO01 0 
f ' h fo (‘ l\ I l>(i I I ' f 0 
BY P. L. HATCH, M. D. 
At this early period in the history of the Academy, little 
more will be expected than a classified list of the birds hitherto 
observed in the State. Such a list must of necessity be far 
from complete. Our ornithological day has just dawned. Ab¬ 
original observations scarcely embraced scientific ends, and if 
so, the gastric vortex into which they all culminated has left us 
no indices of their values to modern science. Indeed, but for 
what has heretofore been accomplished by two or three individ¬ 
uals, whose notes, extending over twelve or fifteen years of 
careful observations, have been placed at our service, a report 
could not possibly have been made at this early hour. Several 
amateur naturalists have at broken intervals visited restricted 
sections contiguous to our towns to make collections. But for 
want of such an organization as this to become the warden of 
their acquisitions to natural history, have left us none the wiser 
for them. One such, however, we desire to make an exception. 
Prof. N. B. Moore, of Louisiana, who visited the State in 1868 
and remained several months, made the most careful observa¬ 
tions, which up to that time had been made, and in repeated 
conversations with a member of the committee communicated 
much valuable information respecting several highly interesting 
species of birds. He was an intelligent, devoted, accurate and 
indefatigable field naturalist. Nothing pertaining to his in¬ 
quiries escaped his notice or his note-book. He followed the 
swallows back to his and their mutual home in the sunny South. 
The succeeding winter he spent at a favored spot for ornith- 
