18 " The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



How are the eggs protected during exceptionally incle- 

 ment weather? 



This list covers but a short time in the bird's life, but it 

 shows how much can be learned and studied in but one phase of 

 its existence ; other moments in the lives of any species are 

 equally interesting. 



One of our greatest desiderata is an accurate investigation 

 of distribution of bird life in the Dominion. The uniniated 

 rarely realize how many of the published ranges of our birds 

 are based upon geographic probabilities, a priori reasoning or 

 are copied and recopied, from previous writers. Examples 

 are many. A great proportion of our southern Canadian lists 

 give the Northern Hairy woodpecker as the common form and 

 the Eastern Water thrush as ranging to the plains. The fact 

 is, that the first is but a very rare winter visitor to the area, and 

 Grinnell's Water thrush is the common form in the Lake Erie 

 peninsula. Many more such cases could be cited. The onty 

 basis acceptable for such determinations are specimens examined 

 by trained experts. Even when the forms are collected, com- 

 parison with series of specimens of allied forms is necessarv to 

 certainly established its identity. In these we are woefully lack- 

 ing and still have to depend upon the courtesy and interest of 

 our friends across the hne in the separation and substantiation 

 of many difficult forms. 



To establish the Canadian ranges of our birds, their migra- 

 tion routes and general statvis, we need skilled observers at all 

 possible points, to note and collect local data and .specimens. 

 Ideally there should be an observer and collection in everv 

 county in the Dominion; each keeping track of his own area 

 and comparing and checking it with results from adjoining 

 stations. Provincial Museums should gather up these local 

 details within their sphere of influence and the whole should be 

 amalgamated and correlated by the Dominion authorities, re- 

 presented by the zoological branch of the Geological Survev at 

 Ottawa. In this way we would have co-operation and ser'es of 

 local collections illustrating intensive work throughout the 

 Dominion. 



All such work, however, to be of service must be based upon 

 exact personal knowledge and substantiated in every way pos- 

 sible. We look back to-day upon apparent mistakes made by 

 our predecessors, even those of marked and recognized ability, 

 and wish for data by which to check their statements. The next 

 generation will demand the same of us and with more reason 

 for impatience, if it is a1)sent. Ornithology has advanced and 

 the necessity for substantiating everything is more generj 

 re'^oenized now than in the past. 



{To he continued) 



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