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Updated: August 29, 2024
Ordinarily I call myself a simple bird-gazer, an amateur, a field naturalist, if you will; but on occasions like the present I assume with myself, that is all the rights and titles of an ornithologist proper, a man of science strictly so called. In the interest of science, then, I climbed the fence and picked my way across the field.
The story of Timour the Tartar learning a lesson of perseverance under adversity from the spider is well known. Not less interesting is the anecdote of Audubon, the American ornithologist, as related by himself: "An accident," he says, "which happened to two hundred of my original drawings, nearly put a stop to my researches in ornithology.
It is not an easy matter to "name all the birds without a gun," though an opera-glass will often render identification entirely certain, and leave the songster unharmed; but once having mastered the birds, the true ornithologist leaves his gun at home.
The story of Timour, the Tartar, learning a lesson of perseverance under adversity from the spider is well know. Not less interesting is the anecdote of Audubon, the American ornithologist, as related by himself: "An accident," he says, "which happened to two hundred of my original drawings, nearly put a stop to my researches in ornithology.
I will not again apologise for the name; it must suffice that the average ornithologist is never happy unless he be either saddling a small bird with a big name or altering the denomination of some unfortunate fowl. This fussy little mite is not so long as a man's thumb. It is crestless; the spot where the crest ought to be is chestnut red.
"It is the Pyrrhula telasco," said my friend, "a species discovered by Lesson, the celebrated ornithologist, in his journey to Lima. Ah! if I wasn't so economical with the powder " "I have some powder," muttered Torribio. "You have some powder!" I cried; "will you sell us some?" "No," answered the Indian, dryly. "Why not?" was my rejoinder. "Are you also a sportsman?
"But what about the ornithologist;" said Tolly, who, albeit well pleased at the trapper's complimentary remarks, did not quite relish his criticism. "Yes, yes; I'm comin' to that. Well, as I was sayin', it makes me larf yet, when I thinks on it. How he did run, to be sure! Greased lightnin' could scarce have kep' up wi' him."
Presently the singer hops up on a dry twig, and gives me a good view: lead-colored head and neck, becoming nearly black on the breast; clear olive-green back, and yellow belly. From his habit of keeping near the ground, even hopping upon it occasionally, I know him to be a ground warbler; from his dark breast the ornithologist has added the expletive mourning, hence the mourning ground warbler.
For this purpose the department is separated into thirteen bureaus, under the following officers the Entomologist, Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry, Chemist, Botanist, Chief of the Section of Vegetable Pathology, Statistician, Ornithologist, Director of the Office of Experiment Stations, Microscopist, Pomologist, Chief of the Forestry Division, Chief of the Seed Division, and Weather Bureau.
Frederic S. Webster, long known as a naturalist and practical ornithologist, has been appointed to the position, and is now on active duty. So far as we are aware, Pittsburgh is the first city to create the office of City Ornithologist. It is a happy thought; it will yield good results, and other cities will follow Pittsburgh's good example.
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