4 OBJECTIVE SEASONAL LESSONS. 



the identification of the bird, as explained on 

 page 75. 



Exercises of this nature should be repeated until 

 the student can describe birds quickly and accurately 

 and has thoroughly mastered the use of the key. 



If possible, this class-room work should be fre- 

 quently supplemented by observations in the field. 

 When the country is not available, large parks often 

 prove by no means poor substitutes, and during the 

 migrations they are frequently thronged with birds. 



Even when field lessons are out of the question, it 

 is strongly advised that the studies of certain birds 

 be made during the season when they are present. 

 The best plan is to begin in December Avith the birds 

 which are with us throughout the year, or the Per- 

 manent Residents, adding the Winter Visitants in 

 January and February. As the migrants from the 

 south appear, they may form the subjects of the 

 month's lessons, and the course ends naturally in 

 June, when all the summer birds have arrived. 



This method associates the birds with their respec- 

 tive seasons, and for the field student is particularly 

 advantageous. He takes up the subject at a time 

 when the comparatively small number of birds pres- 

 ent greatly simplifies the question of identification, 

 and before the first inigrants arrive in March, should 

 have become familiar with the commoner Permanent 

 Residents and Winter Yisitants. 



When field work is practicable, each student should 

 keep a record of the birds observed. Xotes of this 

 kind, made during the migration, are particularly 

 interesting. They may be entered on a large page 

 ruled in squares, similar in style to those of a roll-call 



