he seldom stays long in any one place. How much time does he spend on his 

 three thousand mile trip twice a year? 



Some of the migrating birds are said to fly more than a mile a minute. Do 

 you realize what that means? A bird could leave Havana, Cuba, at seven p. m., 

 take breakfast at Charleston, South Carolina, sup in Boston at seven that evening, 

 if he wished, and greet the next sunrise in Newfoundland! 



Study the routes of migration, especially the one followed by the birds in 

 your locality. Make a map. Study pictures of the birds you are likely to see. 

 Read about them in some good bird book. Become familiar with the time sched- 

 ules of the birds ; then you will know which ones to expect in March, in April, 

 and in May. Go to bed early that you may be up with the sun from March 20th 

 to May 20th, at least. The most favorable time for seeing birds is before seven 

 in the morning. Get some friend interested in birds to go with you. Wear old 

 brown and gray clothing. Dress warmly. Protect your feet. Learn to walk 

 quietly. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open. Take an opera 

 glass, if you have one, and a note book. Compare what you find with a good 

 bird book. 



As a beginner I found Ralph Hoffmann's book most helpful. His keys for 

 identifying birds classify by color and size. 



(1 ) When you see a new bird look first for his colors. What are they and 

 where are they? The diagram, Plate H, showing the principal parts of a bird, 

 will help you to locate the colors, and to understand the descriptions in the bird 

 book. The most prominent identifying colors are usually about the head and 

 breast, and the wings, especially the upper portions of the wing, which frequently 

 display well defined markings of color called wingbars. 



(2) Think next of the bird's size. Is he larger or smaller than an English 

 sparrow? Is he as large as a robin? How does he compare with a crow? These 

 theree perfectly familiar birds serve as standards for comparison. 



(3) Now notice where the bird is and what he is doing. 



(4) Try now to think about the shape of the bird. That shape is con- 

 veniently thought of as being made up of two pointed ovals, with three additions 

 — neck, tail, leg. Think of the shape of the ovals, of their relative size, and of 

 their relative position. 



"If I could put my woods in song, and tell what's there enjoyed 

 All men would to my garden throng and leave the cities void." 



— Emerson. 



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