bird," or even "a little bird that said 'dee, dee,'" it is evident that, at least, some bird students do not appreciate the need of observation! Com- parison of a man's description of a bride's costume, as "some sort of white stuff," with a woman's detailed analysis of its satin, tulle and lace will illustrate very well the difference between the right and wrong way of recording a bird's appearance..
There are a few birds, it is true, that possess some striking characteristic mark by which alone they may be known, but in most instances a careful statement of a bird's size, shape of its bill, and its color is an essential to its certain identification. Descriptions of this kind can be made, as a rule, only by the aid of an opera- or field-glass, and only when the bird is before you. Both as a convenience and as a means of directing your attention to the points on which information is desired, it is advisable to have in the field description blank books in which a page may be devoted to each strange bird, somewhat as follows:
Locality Date. Haunt Length (tip of hill to end of tail) Size and shape of hill Length and shape of tail Forehead Crown Cheeks Nape Back ,, , Rump Color <^ ,^ ., Upper-tail coverts I Tail Wings Throat Breast Ahdomen Voice Movements, etc Remarks
It is not, of course, always possible to see a bird with sufficient exact- ness to enable one to fill out a blank of this nature, but until you can answer the questions this outline calls for you have not clearly seen the bird, and must not be surprised, therefore, if both your own efforts and. those of some ornithological friend fail to make known its identity-. On the other hand, a blank of this kind, properly fillet!, will usuallN' furnish an
Bird-Lore has prepared Utx the use of studetus a Jl-pane covered "Field Identification Blank." based on the above outline. It contains a chart of a bird, civine the names of its external parts, and, for ready reference, a printed 6-inch rule. This booklet may be obtained from Bird-Lore's printers, the J. Horace McFarland Co.. Box 655, Harrisburg. Pa.. for ten cents, postage paid.
