The daily critic., 1890-06-23
W. T. HORNADAY
BIS RESIGNATION A GREAT LOSS TO
The GOVERNMENT.
Review of the Distinguished Natur-
alists Work-wby lie Takes
Private Employment


The departure Of William T. Horna
day, the wellknown naturalist. to be.
come a real estate agent in Buffalo, has
been the chief theme for some rather
spicy comment among the scientific
circles here who regret that the Gov
eminent should have allowed so ex-
Celieut man to pass out of its service
and lose the rewards Of years Of patient
labor
Mr Hornaday Is one Of the younger
group Of naturalisls who have been
drawn together here by the Smithsonian
Institution and National Museum.
From his earliest youth he has been
devoted student of animal life and
anatomy. He worked his way through
college, it Is said, by taking care of the
natural history collection of his Alma
Mater, and soon went into the employ
Of Professor Ward, the Rochester tax.
idermist, who prepares large share of
the birds, beasts and REPTILES which
find their way into the museums OF the
country. Ward sent him upon several
expeditions in search Of fresh material.
He made one trip to South America,
and others to Asia and Africa. where,
not content with purchasing what ma.
tive hunters brought him,
lie PLUNGED PERSONALLY INTO JUNGLE
AND rmCKET
and studied the habits Of all sorts of
savage creatures In their own hauuts-
the knowledge thus acquired giving
him an immense advantage in his taxi
dermic work over competitors who had
picked up all their acquaintance with
their subjects through books. lie also
came to be recognized as one Of the best
equipped practical naturalists on either
side Of the Atlantic, his reports were
quoted as authorities In the proceedings
OF learned societies i'm all parts Of the
world, and he was frequently in receipt
OF such flattering attentions as when
Alfred Russell Wallace hunted him out
Tor an interview on the fauna of the
Malay Peninsula, where Wallace him.
self had made profound researches In
times gone by
In due season he was invited to enter
The Government employ as taXidemist
Tor The National Museum. The work
which he did there is
a MONUMENT or SKILLED INDUSTRY
Of which he may well feel proud. II
includes, among other things, the mar.
velously life like group Of bison which
he went West to procure, and which he
mounted In style pronounced by con.
noisseurs TO be without parallcl-evtry
accessory and detail, even 10 the earth
and the scant verduro Of the plains
having been reproduced from nature
Just as found on the stamping. ground
OF This now almost extinct race of cattle
His gorilla group has also been much
admired, and the hearty enc0mlums
passed upon his work generally caused
the authorities Of the Institution % buy
a large number Of the specimens which
he had got for his former employer. In
the intervals Of his regular duties he
found time for some literary labor,
and his Two Years in Jungle"
proved so popular that the authors
share of the profits enabled him 10 buy
a pretty home in the suburbs.
II was always one of Hornaday's
hobbies that We should have in Wash.
ington, at the Government expense and |
under the Government control,
THE FINEST GEOLOGICAL GARDEN IN
THE WORLD.
To the furtherance Of this scheme he
devoted all his energies for long time,
studying the methods and appliances |
employed in all the great gardens OF the |
world When the idea finally took !
shape In a very unpTetenuous annex to
the Smithsonian he became the chief |
funciiOnary in charge and on a trihing |
allowance of money built up a menag.
erie which, though small, was highly |
ereditable to It's author,
lie even volunteered as a messenger /
Of the Fish Commission, and Travelled |
through the West in search of new ami. |
mails, which he was permitted 10 bring |
home with him In an empty commission /
car. II was a most inCOnyenient man |
ner OF procuring bis supplies, as he was /
provided with no assistants, and had 10 /
manage his bears and deer and foxes,
etc, by himself, or with such spas.
modic help as his associates on the car
would lend him through good nature.
But lis baTdships were compensated by /
the fact that il was cheap, and IN his
enthusiasm bis sole thought was how
much be could do with the pittaRce at
his disposal.
He interested himself greatly in the
project for permanent park in Rock
Creek Valley, and for about two years
haunted the Capitol daily during the
session OF Congress, armed with maps
and diagrams, which he used IN argu-
ing with members who could not see |
any advantage 10 result from the Gov
eTnments spending so much money on
an animal show. IL was . tedious |
Campaigns but he won il, and the nee
essaIy appropriations for site and i'm
pIoyements finally were voted.
AT this point came the first check 10 |
J. nj g.. D % I
IaIy of the Smithsonian, who had the |
matter IN charge. preferred 10 place az
the head Of the Park management |
some older and more celebrated natur-
alist, If one could be found Mr. |
HOTnaday was designated 10 serve as an
assistant 10 this chief still unnamed
lie declined the appointment lie felt
that he had
FAIRLY EARNED THE FIRST PLACE,
if any. Professor langley did not dis
pute his claim % the highest credit for !
The success of the Zoo project. but |
was firm in the purpose Of getting some
one who would make q more conspicu
Gus hguTehead. They parted on the 4
spot Mr. H0naday had iu his pocket
az that moment a business offer invUly
ing guarantee Of twice as large an an.
nual income as the salary attached 10 /
the office of Acting Superintendent
Cf the Park
ID had been laid before him twice I
already and declined because he loved /
his work rs a naturalist, and was uu-
willing 10 give up the hOnoTs which he i
believed awaited him as the fruit of So /
much undeIpaid and hardly appreciated |
labor in Tie cause 10 had lately come
a lhiId time, and lie now accepted ~
Tie sympathies of the junior circles