(3/3) McConnell also participated in Bird-Lore's annual Christmas Bird Census. Eleven days before posting his vote, he took part in the 11th annual census (his tenth consecutive year of participation). Pictured is his report, printed in the Jan-Feb 1911 edition of Bird-Lore.

(2/3) McConnell’s vote shows support for Lynds Jones, to whose catalogue, The Birds of Ohio, he contributed; like Jones, he was also a keen lister, taking part in the WOC’s annual New Year Bird Census. Jones is recognized as the first solo bird-watcher to, in 1900, identify 100 species in a day.

(3/3) He published extensively on birds, contributed monthly natural history essays to Lutheran periodicals, and authored books on mammals (1928, pictured below) and on fishes, amphibia, and reptilia (1930), with a further volume on birds reportedly in preparation at his death in 1949.

(2/3) Eifrig had moved to Addison, Illinois, in 1909 and was an active WOC member since 1907, later serving as Secretary in 1912-13. Elected an Associate of the American Ornithologists’ Union in 1901 and a full member in 1929. He was also affiliated with the Chicago Ornithological Society.

(3/3) Chapin lead the Templeton Crocker Pacific Expedition in 1934-35, collecting vegetation, soil, rocks, & landscape sketches of the Society, Marquesas, Tuamotu, Galápagos, Chincha, Easter, and Pitcairn Islands, to ensure the authenticity of the AMNH faunal dioramas of these islands.

(2/3) The cover is addressed to Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy at the American Museum of Natural History, coordinator of the museum’s major Pacific expeditions. Chapin and Murphy are pictured sitting side by side in this 1925 photograph.

(3/3) Ultimately, my path would take me in a different direction, but my interest endured, albeit increasingly directed toward the history of ornithology through the work of ornithologists past. Here, I explore their lives through postal history; another of my grandfather’s passions I inherited.

(2/3) He later became the warden of a bird observatory, and years later, I also had the honour and pleasure of working there. Through my grandfather and the observatory, my life was dominated by birds and ornithologists and I believed I was also destined to follow a path in professional ornithology.

(3/3) Kennicott (pictured), nominated by his father, and supported by the Smithsonian, would teach employees of the Illinois Central Railway to collect natural history samples along the line as part of a preliminary survey of the state's natural resources. He commenced 30 May.

(2/3) While the cover has long been separated from its original contents, we are fortunate that Kennicott's correspondence has been digitized, enabling us to match a letter to this cover. The letter (pictured) is dated 30 April and touches on a fascinating aspect of his life.

(3/3) Reed’s Nature Study series were directed towards children and this cover may have been related to the supply of books to schools in Saco. The recipient, Harvard graduate (Class of 1878) Theodore Young, was Superintendent of Schools from 1909 until his retirement in 1925.

(2/3) As can be seen in this image, the books illustrated are an accurate depiction of the contemporary cover designs. Charles and his son Chester have been credited as the first to develop the concept of the portable 'Field Guide' with the publication of Land Birds in 1905.

(3/3) In 1887, Morrison was the driving force behind the foundation of the Colorado Ornithological Association, later broadening its scope as the Colorado Biological Association. However, the association did not survive Morrison's posting to Montana. Here, he largely disappears from the literature.

(2/3) In 1884, from Fort McKinney, Wyoming territory, then between 1886 and 1890, from Fort Lewis, Colorado, Morrison was a regular contributor to the O&O. Morrison was also active in ornithological associations. In 1886-87, he was the Vice President of the Bristol County Ornithological Club.

(3/3) The stepfather, Samuel Klingensmith, a “gruff” 5th Cavalry sergeant, sent a telegram to Union Pacific police ordering their arrest. Arrested they were! Yet, before they could be returned, the pair slipped away & married regardless. Later Census records indicate Maggie was pregnant at the time.

(2/3) Our postcard was sent in Nov 1883. Earlier that year, on March 7, Morrison had married. The story had made the newspapers: he and his sweetheart, Margaret Creamer, had eloped in the early hours of the morning on a Union Pacific freight train.