166 THE? CONDOR. Vol. XXI that afternoon when exploring the neighborhood, noting among the' thick marsh vegetation some Maryland Yellow-throats, Palm Warblers, and other birds. Little did I think, as I scanned this wilderness of reeds, that nearly for- ty years afterwards, as Chief of the Biological Survey, I should be called upon to administer this and other similar tracts in the neighborhood as a Federal Bird Reservation, which was set apart August 8, 1907, under the name of the "Tern Islands". That night, as guest, I was favored with a bed improvised on top of a billi- ard table, while the other memberg of the party slept, as best they could, on the floor. The next day the ship-wrecked party was taken aboard the light-house tender "Essayons", commanded by Captain Freeman, which chanted to be on her way to New-Orleans. Thus we were back in the hospitable city the same week we had left it. If I remember rightly, it was just ten days later when we sailed by the scene of our former ship-wreck in the "Varina", which, mean- time, had been raised, towed to New? Orleans, repaired, and made as good as ever. This time we sailed triumphantly through the pass into the Gulf, and in due time reached the scene of our winter's labors. Captain Webber and his wife proved the most delightful and sympathetic of hosts, and as the others of the party were' pleasant and congenial comrades the winter was most agreeably spent. The work of the Survey party, of v?Jaich Captain Webber was in charge, lay chiefly in and around Lakes Borgne and Ponchartrain, and I had lively antici- pations of the feath?red treasures in store for me in this entirely new field. As, however, the territory bordering the lakes consisted almost entirely of marshes, the variety of bird life proved very small. Such as it wasi however, I devoted myself to it enthusiastically, and in spring carried home something over two hundred skins, among which were the types of Rallus ?aturatus, which abound- ed in the marshes about the Rigolets Light HOUse. In the absence of inviting collecting ground, I devoted a good deal of time that winter to hunting ducks, geese and snipe, and the spoils gathered in this way always proved a welcome addition to our mess. The canoe trips after ducks in the tortuous bayous of the. lake region with Mr. Schonstein, the keeper of the light house, will always remain delightful memories. BACK F. ROM LOUISIANA I returned home in the spring of 1870 greatly improved in health, but pre- sently gave up all idea of a college course. Then followed a delightful interim of months when, without much thought of the morrow and its responsibilities, I devoted most of the time, in company with Brewster, wholly to outdoor life and to collecting birds. EVENTS LEADING TO FOUNDING OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB It is surprising how trivial incidents may lead to important and unfore- seen consequences. Mr. Brewster possessed a copy of the octavo edition of Au- dubon's "Birds' ', and the discoveries and experiences of this pioneer of Amer- ican ornithology often formed the topic of our conversation, especially when his account of species familiar to us differed from our own experiences. As I was less acquainted wi.th the v?ritings of Audubon than he was, and desired to become more familiar with them, in the fall of 1871 I suggested the plan of
reading aloud a chapter of Audubon and then discussing it. The plan soon be-
coming known to Ruthyen Deane, Henry Purdie, and, later, to W. E.-D. Scott
