Collecting Curiosities: The Oology Craze at Horton College

In the late 1800s, oology, or bird egg collecting, captivated hobbyists and naturalists across Australia and beyond. The pursuit of bird eggs wasn’t just an academic or scientific endeavour – it was embraced as a wholesome and educational pastime, particularly for children. Exploring the outdoors, climbing trees, and observing bird habitats was considered an excellent way to foster a connection with nature while engaging in an activity that encouraged curiosity and a sense of adventure.

This nationwide enthusiasm for oology found its way to the prestigious boys’ school, Horton College. There, students were swept up in the craze, collecting eggs and caring for birds with dedication and excitement. The playgrounds were transformed into makeshift aviaries:

“A bird-keeping craze always came down upon the school, and the large shed in the playground was generally, at this season of the year, lined with boxes containing young magpies, jackasses, parrots, crows, and hawks, and many of the boys made some splendid collections of eggs.”
– The Mercury (Hobart, TAS. : 1860 – 1954), Monday 27 Dec 1920, Page 7.

The passion for collecting didn’t stop at common bird species. Students were eager to seek out the rarest eggs, often trekking through rugged bushland to find nests that had eluded others. This spirit of exploration is beautifully captured in the recollections of a former Horton College student who shared the story of his landmark discovery in the 1890s:

“I was a scholar at Horton College, Ross, in the early ‘90’s and was, among other boys, very keen on collecting birds’ eggs. Until I left school no one had got a black cockatoo’s eggs, and it was claimed the nest of this bird had never been found. I left school about 1892 and came home to live and work on my father’s properties. A shepherd on a neighbouring estate told me he had found a black cockatoo’s nest, and I went and climbed the tree and got two eggs, which I passed on to either the late Arthur Brent or Malcolm Harrison, both keen collectors. At this time it was said they were the first collected, and I believe this was mentioned at a meeting of the Royal Society. Strange to say, just after this I found four nests, all on one property, and I heard of others. The reason they were never found at Horton College, if there were nests there, was that the birds lay in January, and of course everyone was away on holiday.”
– The Mercury (Hobart, TAS. : 1860 – 1954), Saturday 22 March 1947, Page 6.

These vivid accounts paint a picture of the oology craze at Horton College as both an exhilarating adventure and a deeply collaborative endeavor among students. However, the legacy of bird egg collecting is a complex one.

While oology is no longer practised as a hobby due to the legal and ethical protections for birdlife today, the collections from the Victorian era have unexpectedly proven valuable to modern science. Carefully preserved egg specimens from the 19th century have offered researchers insights into how bird populations have changed over time.

For example, scientists can now analyse eggshells for traces of environmental pollutants, revealing how human activities have affected ecosystems. These historical records also provide clues about shifts in bird nesting patterns and fertility rates, helping to track the impacts of climate change on species survival.

The contributions of collectors like those at Horton College—whether intended or not—have offered a lasting benefit to the scientific community.