38 THE AU. DLB-ON BW Cots Taine 
The Robert Ridgway Wild 
Life Sanctuary 
N July 2, 1850, a boy was born at Mt. Carmel, Illinois, with 
that innate love of birds which is the heritage of the elect. 
To hisinherent interest in birds was added an ability to draw 
them. There were no “Keys” and “Manuals” in those days, and, all 
other means of identification failing, this country lad painted pictures of 
the strange birds that he saw, and sent them to the Patent Office in 
Washington with the hope that they might find their way to some one 
who would tell him their names. They were referred to Spencer F. 

Photograph by Howard T. Middleton 
EGRET TAKING THE AIR 
Baird, then the Assistant Secretary, later the head of the Smithsonian 
Institution. Imagine the feelings of the young artist when he received 
not only the names of the birds he had drawn, but later an invitation 
to come to Washington. Thus was established the relation which in due 
time made the young bird student Robert Ridgway the worthy orni- 
thological successor of his friend and preceptor. 
Entering the employ of the Federal Government in 1867, for much 
over half a century Mr. Ridgway has devoted himself to the service of 
science with a singleness of purpose which has made him the greatest of 
present-day ornithologists. In love with his profession, without hope 
of monetary reward, he has laid broad the scientific foundation for 
those who follow him. 
