86 Bird - Lore 



parison and repetition, and every possible device, impress the im- 

 portant characters of the different families and species. Compare 

 tirelessly the red cap of the Chipping Sparrow, the spot on the 

 breast of the Song Sparrow, the rufous back and red bill of the 

 Field, the white throat and striped crown of the White-throat ; the 

 trill of the Chippy, the flowing song of the Song Sparrow, the charac- 

 teristic whistles of the Field and White-throat ; contrast the short 

 wings, strong, conical, seed-cracking bills, and labored flight of the 

 Sparrows with the long wings, weak, fly-catching bills, and free flight 

 of the Swallows ; calling attention to the musical songs of the Spar- 

 rows and the monosyllabic notes of the Flycatchers, and carrjdng 

 out similar comparisons for each family seen in the field. 



Out of doors, so many birds are of necessity seen in passing, 

 that when field classes are not connected with house classes it is a 

 great help to carry a box of skins — as much as possible those which 

 will probably be seen on the day's walk — and before coming home 

 review the birds seen by sitting down in the woods to examine the 

 skins. It is also a good plan to carry a bird book afield — the pocket 

 edition of Chapman's Handbook admirably serves this purpose — 

 that the observer may look up doubtful points for himself while his 

 mind is still full of questions. 



Although the quiz method is the best, when the birds are flying 

 about rapidly one cannot always wait for the untrained observer to 

 seize upon the important characters. At such times a quick word 

 will concentrate attention upon the salient feature, and the young 

 observer can do his part afterwards by a note book sketch or mem- 

 orandum. As a Brown Creeper rocks his way up a tree trunk in 

 sight before passing on to one out of sight, quickly call attention to 

 his protective tree trunk color, the adaptation of his curved bill 

 and his long pointed tail, comparing him with the Sparrow seen before 

 ■ — the other brown bird — brown for his life on the ground and among 

 the weeds, comparing, also, the Creeper's long, curved, insect-extract- 

 ing bill with that of the Sparrows, and his climbing tail with the 

 steering apparatus of the Sparrow. Then, for individuality, his 

 systematic method of hunting, with that of the Woodpeckers. A line 

 in the note book will show the curve of the bill, a slanted arrow 

 between two vertical lines the oblique flight from the top of one tree 

 to the bottom of the next. A horizontal breast line and an outline 

 tail with white outer tail feathers opposite the name Junco will 

 suggest the marking that disguises the Snowbird's form and also 

 his directive tail mark ; a chip-churr opposite the name Tanager and 

 the words red and green will bring to mind the characteristic call 

 and the sexual coloration of the pair ; a musical phrase opposite 



