INTRODUCTION. 13 



desires to know more birds at sight and to learn more facts with regard to 

 those already known. This simple aim may be partly realized through the 

 simplest sort of study, commonly known as nature study, in which the 

 student, most often but not necessarily a child, learns to look for and find 

 and study certain natural objects which have been previously pointed out 

 to him, or better still described to him in such a way that with due dil- 

 igence he may find and recognize them. No branch of science offers greater 

 possibilities for nature study than ornithology, yet as ordinarily taught 

 and studied this kind of nature study is not a science and never can become 

 one. The great danger lies in the frequent mistakes which beginners in 

 bird study are sure to make and the fact that these mistakes often go un- 

 corrected through lack of knowledge on the part of guide or teacher. 



The scientific ornithologist on the other hand must deal with facts about 

 which there is a minimum of doubt. Conclusions based upon the observa- 

 tions of inexperienced people are always open to serious question. The 

 scientific bird student must first of all handle actual birds; since, unfortunate 

 as it may seem to many nature lovers, accurate, absolute and full knowledge 

 of birds can be obtained only by studying them alive, by killing and pre- 

 paring them for preservation, and by studying and comparing specimens 

 so preserved. As Dr. Elliot Coues, one of America's foremost scientists, 

 truly said forty years ago, "Life, even bird life, is too sacred a thing to be 

 needlessly or thoughtlessly sacrificed." Yet countless facts of the utmost 

 importance in the scientific study of birds can be obtained only through 

 the sacrifice of bird life, and an ornithologist who aspires to be an authority 

 upon his science must ruthlessly suppress his natural feelings in this respect 

 and must procure and make use of such material as is absolutely necessary 

 without regard to what are often described as the humane sentiments. This 

 does not mean that any untrained boy has the right to take his gun into the 

 field and kill birds indiscriminately or even freely under the impression that 

 his intention to preserve some as specimens and to study such specimens 

 later justify the action. On the contrary the right to collect birds freely 

 for scientific purposes should be carefully restricted to such persons as can 

 give evidence of a serious purpose to use to advantage the specimens so 

 taken. The Michigan law covering this point is clear and strong. 



A moment's thought will convince any one that the student who searches 

 the woods carefully for a bird which he has never seen, who follows up each 

 unknown call or song, watches with care each doubtful and illusive form 

 which suggests the bird desired, and finally, perhaps after hundreds of dis- 

 appointments, kills a specimen of the much coveted species and measures, 

 preserves and labels it for his own collection, has gained a knowledge of the 

 appearance, habits, notes, size and structure of this species which could be 

 obtained in no other possible way. Not only has he gained all this knowledge 

 with regard to this particular specimen, but in doing so he has exercised, 

 consciously or unconsciously, his powers of observation, comparison and 

 discrimination with regard to scores of other birds, so that his experience 

 has been broadened and his power and judgment very materially strengthened. 



It may seem to some that essentially the same result could be obtained 

 if our student were accompanied to the woods by an instructor who should 

 call his attention to the note of the bird sought, point it out and comment 

 on its peculiarities and after watching the specimen carefully, perhaps 

 through a field glass, record his observations and allow the bircl to depart 

 unharmed. Such a method of study unquestionably has its advantages, 

 especially for the bird, but except in the case of a limited number of species, 



