The local game warden, Wilbur Smith, was alerted to a young boy (Howes) collecting bird’s eggs and nests, which was illegal at the time. When Smith caught up with the young Howes he was so impressed by his knowledge and proficiency with natural history that he helped him to acquire the proper permits rather than issue him a fine. Howes’s earliest collections of birds, nests, and eggs are among some of the first collections to come to the Bruce Museum. Seen here is a collecting permit issued in 1912 when Howes was just 19 years old.
