A Southern Illinois Lunch Counter 257 



of walnuts was exhausted, aiul then (U'part t<i \>v >vv\\ im mow unlil more were 

 put out, thru ihcy ^nu'lk'd thfui afar olT, and canu' ha-^lily hack. 



These are only a lew ot' tlu' birds seen in llu' yard, and probably many others 

 fed there. Very little time was taken to keep up \hv Iuik h counter (a good deal 

 was spent watching the little boarders however), and we filt well repaid by their 

 evident apj)reciation, and cunning ways. 



Our success — I had a list ever\- \ear of nearly a hundred species, seen mostly 

 in our own vard — shows what lan be done, and easily done, by producing food 

 and water, and what prott'i lion is possible against their enemies, jmrticularly 

 cats, Screech Owls, and ^niall boys. Any one will find it well worth doing. 



Bird-Lore's Ninth Christmas Bird Census 



Till'", plan of reporting one's observations afield on Christmas Day has met 

 with such cordial and practical endorsement by bird students tliroughout 

 the country that Bird-Lore's Christmas Bird Census may now^ be con- 

 sidered a fixed event, which increases in interest as the accumulating records- 

 give additional material for comparison. From a total of 25 lists received in 1900, 

 it has grown to 142 lists in 1907. 



Reference to the February, 1901-1908 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 these 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 direc- 

 tion 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 thould read, therefore, some- 

 w^hat as follows: 



Yonkers, N. Y. Time, 8 A. m. to 12 M. Clear, ground bare; wind west, light; tem- 

 perature 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 Airiierican Museum, 

 of Natural History, New York City) not later than December 28. It will save 

 the editor much clerical labor if the model here given and the order of the A- 

 O. U. Check-List be closelv followed. 



