Blue Rapids, Kas 
brewster,- 
You Were,in point of time,the very first American 
Ornithologist to say a kindly word,unsolicited,for my proposed Work on the 
Nesting Ways of Nortp American Birds.And you have been among the very fore- 
most in rendering,later,the sort of help without which my venture must have 
collapsed. Before asking a slight additional favor I 
ought,in all grateful recognition,to tell you how well the work is pro- 
In the first place,-a well-known Firm,in New York 
asked the privilege of examining the completed manuscript;with a 
view to publication.In the second,-the Bird-races yet unexploited and the 
Bird-Book vet unexamined are steadily growing fewer. 
There are TIO Titles,or a few less,for which data are altogether too mea- 
ger.There are about a dozen volumes,or sets of volumes,wnich are yet un- 
exanined.Of course,the narrower the margin of remaining unexploited field, 
the slower does the mapein contract.But I am in no hurry. 
Seventy-six Bird Students are now on my list of Patrons.About Eight of these 
Kuropean,Asiatic and South American 
works a sted in my Bibliography ;which now contains about 200 Titles:of 
works bearing directly and helpfully on Nesting Habit.In addition to the 
ransacking of the synonomies in these works,myself and two or three dis- 
- 
interested,-(ought I not rather to say,"interested")friends are seeking to 
of. 
unearth private records!from our laconic and secretive friends of other 
ies.--To illustrate t! wulties we have to face:A letter 
from Dr.von Ihering,of the Muse Santo Paulo,Brazil,cites the current knowl- 
Sterna trudeaui as involving "no biologifa)" 
breeding on Sta.Kath. Isi.,not over fifty miles from San- 

