The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-01-17
The Study of Birds.

has ever been made to the Agassz Mu.
scum of Comparative Zoology at Cam
bridge is n collection of 3 600 birds-made
by Mr.. w. Il. ID. Scott-from the United
States and West Indies. About 100 of
these are mounted the remainder being
in the form technically known to natural
lists as bird sllins-that is, they look sim
ply like dead birds, that can be mounted
at any time. Ever since Mr.. Scott grad
uated from Harvard college in 1873 this
plan of making an pathological collec.
ton has been the great object of his lifc
md to give this collection to the Agassiz
museum has been his desire, which is now
accomplished.
Mr.. Scott il, through his writings, one
of the best known collectors of birds in the
world lie was one of the original mem
hers of the Nutal club of Cambridge and
his first paper before that society, entitled
"a Partial List of the Summer Birds of
Kanawha County" was the first of the
series which are now regularly published
by the society His first work, and one
that attracted attention in the whole or
astrological world, as well as the atten
ton of astronomers, was brought about
by what seems now to he n singular coin
cidence Happening to lie at one time in
the observatory connected with Princeton
college he was invited TO look through
the telescope at the moon. While doing
SO, be noticed what seemed to he II mum
brr Of small objects fitting across the lu.
niuous disk. He asked what they were
q. d as informed that it was common
g.. fur nee to see these birds flying across
the range Of the telescope. So common was
l.. tact. Il at the astronomers had paid
no Yttt HtiOn to the matter, but of course
sIth an occurrence invited the attention
Ct II uian the main object Of whose life was
the Observance of every point pertaining
TO birds and bird life.
lIehad heard time and again farmers and
backwood,ineu speak of the sound of birds
flying by night, and here was an actual
proof of the fact, as well as a chance to
make mathematical calculation on the
subject, for, upon examination of the sub
ject, it was found that, given the focal
length of the lens and the other data
which the astronomer could furnish, the
fight of the birds could be determined
with some degree of accuracy. And not
only this, but the kind of bird could be
determined because, as every one knows,
each bird has its own peculiar method of
fight. which could readily be determined
! against the bright disk of the moon through
telescope
paper upon the subject, which was trans
lated into nearly every modern language,
and this method is now known as the
"ScOtt method of determining the flight
| of birds by night" So highly are Mr..
| Scott's opinions valued upon matters per
| tanning to birds that the British museum
recently bought collection made by him,
of some $500 Florida birds, at his own
valuation, and without even seeing the
collection,
| 1t was here in Florida that the writer
met Mr.. Scott, surrounded by his collec-
tions and implements for stuffing and
keeping the birds For years Mr.. Scott
has made as his speciality the study Of
Florida birds and has been indefatigable
| in his efforts to make his collection com
plete. He has now removed them to his
home in Pocantico Hills, n. Y. The first
point which the visitor notices, on seeing
the collection is the lifeike manner in
which the birds are mounted. Instead OF
the conventional methods always EN-
poyed heretofore by professional taXider
mists, Mr.. Scott has brought out the pose
of the bird in actual life.
Nearly all collections OF birds which
have so far been made have been built up
upon an absolutely systematic basis. In
birds are to be rendered as lifelike as pos
sible-that is to say, artistic-while at the
same time they shall lose nothing of their
scientific value. Heretofore the external
features of the bird have been shown with
the name attached to each specimen, indi-
eating the species The specimens have
been displayed in rows, each one standing
on perch made from turned wood and
Il shaped, either painted white or else made
of hard wood, vanished. Such "A method
has always limited the position in which
the bird could be placed. The visitors to
museums have wondered why every bird
should be standing in just that particular
way, with both feet firmly planted upon
the perch, and looking for all the world as
if he were one of an army
This is wholly artificial, and in contra
distinction to it birds should be mounted
on simple, natural accessories. By such a
method the warbler or the wren should be
shown naturally balanced upon the sway
ing twig, and the woodpecker would be
clinging to the trunk of a tree; the gull s
environment would be a bit of the sea
shore, artficially represented. So it viii
be seen that the idea is for each bird u
give glimpse of the environment in which
1t lives. But these surroundings shoult
always be n subordinate part of the exhi
bition, allowing the central figure of thu
specimen to be the conspicuous object.
The second point to bring out in thi
collection is the effect of physical environ
ment on such species as are now migrator.
and range uninterruptedly over large geo
graphical areas. This is to be done in con
nection with and by the aid of diagramat
ic maps. To illustrate what is meant, til
common quail ranges from Massachusetts
to Florida and from the eastern coast t
Dakota Sportsmen who kill this bird i
different parts of the country have fire.
quently asked if they are different bird
and why those found in different parts {
the country are smaller or larger, darkt
or lighter colored, as the case may be, q
the different points where they are er
countered.
Now, in this collection it is proposed
have a series of quail, specimens of Whic
shall be taken from the different localiti'
| mentioned and brought together BostC
5 Herald
A HOUSEHOLD TREAsURE.-D. v
Fuller of Canajoharie, n. Y, says tn
. he always keeps DR.. Kings New Di
4 4. =. f.. 4