Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-21

The following is the report of the ad.
dress, lacking some OF its moro distinc-
lively scientific passages, made by q
member of the Delaware Natural His
tory Society, at a recent meeting of that
organization in Friends school assembly
room;
1t was on the 14th of July, 1894, after
a tedious and tempestuous voyage from
Paisley, Scotland, that Alexander Will
son, the father Of American ornithology,
landed on the shores of the Delaware
river at New Castle.
1T has always been to me an interest
ing fact that our own immediate neigh
borhood was the first glimpse of America
that Wilson obtained, and that the birds
OF New Castle county were the first to
welcome to our shores the man who was
TO be their admirng friend and the low
| ing student of their habits and lives.
Shortly after his arrival, in writing to
| his relatives at home in Scotland, Wilson
says: about at night, having had
| good breeze all day, we cast anchor at q
place called Reedy Island. We arrived
| at New Castle next day about mid day,
where we were all as happy as mortals
could be, and being told that Whining
ton was only five miles up the river we
set out on foot through fiat woody
country, that looked in every respect
like new world to us from the great
profusion of fruit that everywhere over
hung our heads, the strange birds, shrubs,
&C., and came at length to Wilmington,
which lies on the side of a hill about a
mile from the Delaware.
"From Wilmington VIC proceeded to
PHILADELPHIA, 30 miles distant. AS we
passed through the woods did not OBJ
serve one bird such as those of Scotland,
but all much richer in colors. We saw
great numbers of squirrels, snakes about
yard long, and red birds, several OF
which shot for our curiosity"
Failing to obtain work at his trade,
, that of weaver he tried various occu-
pations, school teaching, copper plate
prilting, surveying, &c, but does moi
seem TO have been successful and be-
came sadly discouraged, dissatisfied and
, anxious TO return to his native land
Obtaining, however, an engagement as
: teacher in school at Gray's Ferry hi
) there became acquainted with thu
, venerable naturalist, William Bartram
and formed friendship which lasteC
' during Mr.. Bartram's life. Through
& his friendly interest and advice it wa
0 that he became deeply interested in thu
i, wonders of nature and developed
0 genius which has sent his name dow
a in the annals of America as one of lie
: most earnest and illustrious ornitholo
it gists.
i One of his favorite collecting ground
e was the country around PHILADELPHIA
and although his journeying and re
searches extended from northern Ne,
York to New Orleans and as far west o
the Ohio river, again would he return
: Philadelphia and work over anew th
. surrounding country. No doubt th
, woods and marshes which then and no'
:, surround Wilmington were well know
= TO him and have furnished his earnei
7, search with many an object of intercl
- and study.
II This section of country was certainl
= fruitful field for his Investigation, fc
even to-day in spite of English sparrow
shotgun and the many enemies to OF
/, native birds attending our large populi
u ton and advanced civilization, Ne
v Castle county and its neighborhood
v beautifully supplied with d bird life {
e' such quantity and variety as 10 astonis
@ the investigator.
g. Wilson died in 1918, his life wor
y. unfinished, but by no means lost; h
e; greatest work, "'rhe American o
!. anthology" is still a standard anon
~ ornithulogists and his descriptions hay
p not since been improved upon.
His untiring labors were seen an
OF appreciated. Through his examp
u others were led to take up the stud
es and down through the century has OF
eminent student followed another
the present day. Bonaparte, Swainsol
Nuttall, Audubon, (Cassin, Baird al
O. Ridgway have followed closely in eac
is others steps, until to-day, while the
ID; is still much to be learned Of the o
lite anthology of the United States, it is We
es, probable that the 1888 named and
es, scribed species leave very few, if an
be birds TO go on the list.
Is From this short sketch of one of u
OF best friends of birds let US now turn
m the bird itself.
liza All birds have feathers and there O
is no other animals that have them; tn
sll, are the most evident feature distinguis
RS. ing birds from the other branches Of I
see animal kingdom. A cursory glance
N. the exterior of bird covered wi
.rs. feathers will give but poor idea
hia their beautifully systematic arranl
lla- ment. No carefully planned and Ii
Ter, out park or lawn shows more g.
md tenn than the arrangement of the plu
'm- age on the body of a bird; there is
ers. indiscriminate scattering of feathers
would appear to be the case but ca
Re- feather has its allotted position.
Der The body of bird plucked of all
fer plumage readily shows the arrangem
lrg; Of feathered tracts and unfeathe
irg; spaces; plainly seen is the spinal trl
PM running along the back from the n,
nee, to the tail. The humeral tract, COY
Pa; ing the shoulders. The femoral trt
tits on the outside of the thigh. The v
ues- trail tract which comprises most of
OF plumage on the underside OF the DO
The tracts mentioned arc all we'll
hop fined, and are surrounded in each c
ire by space bare of feathering VIII
cen, makes the arrangement very appar,
lnie Theostriches aud penguins have pl
ID. ably the most continuous plumagt
ling any birds there being no dividing ma
spaces between the usual tracts
feathering.
Hin. Concerning the color Of the pluma
mid We have in the United States m
!. q. highly colored birds and with these
Com generally the case that the beaut
M. plumage is worn by the male bird,
At. female, as rule, being plain and nc
all conspicuo us in her feathering. w
the two sexes are alike they are |
State plain, when there is any marked di
iris ence In the coloring the male is
I L