232 Bird - Lore 



Maryland Yellow-throat, Catbird, Brown Thrasher, House Wren, Short- 

 billed Marsh Wren, Robin and Bluebird. The nests of twenty of these have 

 been built in the dooryard, all but two of them being within seventy-five feet 

 of the house. Recently a Catbird's nest was built just two feet from the win- 

 dow-pane of a window whose outside blinds are usually closed. Through 

 these one could watch the nest activities, and it is surprising to note in how 

 many respects these differed from those of the Catbirds that nested beside 

 the same window four years ago. One year a Phoebe built her nest under the 

 porch, in a situation that could be watched from four rooms; this had its 

 advantages, but far greater were those of the oft-occupied Phoebe's nest in 

 the barn, that could be viewed at close range through a peep-hole in the floor 

 just above it. In like manner, at a distance of no more than two feet from 

 the eye, has been studied the nest-life of the Screech Owl, Fhcker and House 

 Wren, all of which have had nests in the barn. 



In the near-by woods, that are always alluring, it is possible to spend 

 occasionally a delightful day; but the more distant fields, that are constantly 

 inviting, must be declined; while the birds upon one acre continue to furnish 

 more chapters for study than it is possible to master. 



Bird-Lore's Eleventh Christmas Bird Census 



BIRD-LORE'S annual bird census will be taken as usual on Christmas 

 Day, or as near that date as circumstances will permit. 

 Reference to the February, 1901-1910, numbers of Bird-Lore will 

 acquaint one with the nature of the report of the day's hunt which we desire; 

 but to those to whom none of those issues is available, we may explain that 

 such reports should be headed by a brief statement of the character of the 

 weather, whether clear, cloudy, rainy, etc.; whether the ground is bare or 

 snow-covered, the direction and force of the wind, the temperature at the time 

 of starting, the hour of starting and of returning. Then should be given in 

 the order of the A. O. U. 'Check-List,' a list of the species seen, with exactly, 

 or approximately, the number of individuals of each species recorded. A 

 record should read, therefore, somewhat as follows: 



Yonkers, N. Y. 8 a.m. to 12 m. Clear, ground bare; wind west, light; temp., 38°. 

 Herring Gull, 75. Total, — species, — individuals.— James Gates. 



These records will be published in the February issue of Bird-Lore, and 

 it is particularly requested that they be sent the editor (at the American 

 Museum of Natural History, New York City) not later than December 28. 

 It will save the editor much clerical labor if the model here gi\-en and the order 

 of the A. O. U. Check-List be closely followed. 



