Il6 BIRD WORLD. 



for many different reasons. You and I would be glad 

 to have so good a statement of th'e birds we wish to 

 know that when we see a bird we may be helped in 

 finding out what bird it is. And students who wish 

 to know the family relations of different birds are glad 

 of strict bird passports for that purpose. Those who 

 have in times past shot birds, thinking they would get 

 better crops, need to learn what birds have deserved 

 their thanks instead. 



If we think of this, we shall find more pleasure in 

 the bird books written for older students, which have 

 seemed to contain nothing but dull statements. We 

 shall prize them as we do dictionaries. 



There is another idea connected with this matter 

 of passports. As you grow older and study birds for 

 yourselves, you w^ill wish to compare what you learn 

 with what others know. To do this well and easily 

 you must be able to make out the passports, or 

 descriptions, which are used in bird study. 



Many birds are so much alike that it often requires 

 quite a full description to enable any one who knows 

 to tell which of several birds you have in mind. It is 

 the object of this lesson to start you in making descrip- 

 tions for yourselves, as well as in using those of other 

 people. 



