14 FIELD ORNITHOLOGY. 



to be, are so only because you are on the edge of their habitat, and are plentiful in more acces- 

 sible regions. But, rare or not, it is always a point to determine the exact geographical 

 distribution of a species ; and this is fixed best by having specimens to tell each its own tale, 

 from as many different and widely separated localities as possible. This alone warrants pro- 

 curing one or more specimens in every locality ; the commonest bird acquires a certain value 

 if it be captured away from its ordinary range. An Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) shot in 

 California might be considered more valuable than the " rarest" bird of that State, and would 

 certainly be worth a hundred Massachusetts skins ; a varied thrush (Turdus ncevius) killed 

 in Massachusetts is worth a like number from Oregon. But let all your justifiable destruction 

 of birds be tempered with mercy ; your humanity wiU be continually shocked with the havoc 

 you work, and should never permit you to take life wantonly. Never shoot a bird you do not 

 fully intend to preserve, or to utilize in some proper way. Bird-life is too beautiful a thing to 

 destroy to no purpose ; too sacred a thing, like all life, to be sacrificed, unless the tribute is hal- 

 lowed by worthiness of motive. " Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without His notice." 



I should not neglect to speak particularly of the care to be taken to secure full suites of 

 females. Most miscellaneous collections contain four or more males to every female, — a dis- 

 proportion that should be as far reduced as possible. The occasion of the disparity is obvious : 

 females are usually more shy and retiring in disposition, and consequently less frequently 

 noticed, while their smaller size and plainer plumage, as a rule, further favor their eluding 

 observation. The difference in coloring is greatest among those groups where the males are 

 most richly clad, and the shyness of the mother birds is most marked during the breeding 

 season, just when the males, full of song, and in their nuptial attire, become most conspicuous. 

 It is often worth whUe to neglect the gay Benedicts, to trace out and secure the plainer but not 

 less interesting females. This pursuit, moreover, often leads to discovery of the nests and 

 eggs, — an important consideration. Although both sexes are generally found together when 

 breeding, and mixing indiscriminately at other seasons, they often go in separate flocks, and 

 often migrate independently of each other; in this case the males usually in advance. 

 Towards the end of the passage of some warblers, for instance, we may get almost nothing 

 but females, all our specimens of a few days before having been males. The notable excep- 

 tions to the rule of smaller size of the female are among rapacious birds and many waders, 

 though in these last the disparity is not so marked. I only recall one instance, among Amer- 

 ican birds, of the female being mrire richly colored than the male — the phalaropes. When 

 the sexes are notably different in adult life, the young of both sexes usually resemble the adult 

 female, the young males gradually assuming their distinctive characters. When the adults 

 of both sexes are alike, the young commonly differ from them. 



In the same connection I wish to urge a point, the importance of which is often over- 

 looked ; it is our practical interpretation of the adage, " a bird in the hand is worth two in the 

 bush." Always keep the first specimen you secure of a species till you get another ; no matter 

 how common the species, how poor the specimen, or how certain you may feel of getting other 

 better ones, keep it. Your most reasonable calculations may come to naught, from a variety 

 of circumstances, and any specimen is better than no specimen, on general principles. And in 

 general, do not, if you can help it, discard any specimen in the field. No tyro can teU what 

 will prove valuable and what not ; while even the expert may regret to find that a point comes 

 up which a specimen he injudiciously discarded might have determined. Let a collection be 

 "weeded out," if at all, only after deliberate and mature examination, when the scientific results 

 it affords have been elaborated by a competent ornithologist ; and even then, the refuse (with 

 certain limitations) had better be put where it will do some good, than be destroyed utterly. 

 For instance, I myself once valued, and used, some Smithscmian "sweepings"; and I know 

 very well what to do with specimens, twiv, to which I would not give house-room in my own 

 cabinet. If forced to reduce bulk, owing to limited facilities for transportation in the field 



