I02 



Bird- Lore 



pictures of bird-life, but accurate records of 

 nest-life to illustrate his exact, patient, 

 skilled observation*! of the habits of old and 

 young. 



As for the second objection, the danfjers 

 to which the young birds are exposed 

 througli the moving of the nest, it is un- 

 doubtedly serious. We have never tried 

 Professor Herrick's plan of moving the nest 

 to a tent, but have placed an artificial 

 bower near the nest, and know from experi- 

 ence how quickly birds desert their homes 

 during incubation and, even after the young 

 are boyn, how loth they are to return to the 

 nest when they are alarmed by some strange 

 object near it. Most young birds require 

 food at frequent intervals, and when they 

 are deprived of it even for a comparatively 

 short period, fatal results may follow. In 

 moving the nest the possibility of death from 

 this cause is increased, and it may become 

 necessary, Professor Herrick states, "to feed 

 the yoimg in the nest and to suspend oper- 

 ations until the next day." This, however, 

 is a matter of less importance than exposure 

 to sun and storm, which follows the taking 

 of the nest and young from the shade. Pro- 

 fessor Herrick says, "Young birds from one 

 to five days old cannot, as a rule, stand 

 excessive heat. Even when fed and brooded 

 they will sometimes succumb, and here lies 

 the serious danger to be guarded against;" 

 and adds, "it is better to leave the birds to 

 themselves if it promises to be excessively 

 hot or windy." 



As for the danger from bird enemies 

 attendant on removing the nest from the place 

 of concealment and placing it in a conspicu- 

 ous position. Professor Herrick finds that 

 " predaceous animals of all kinds seem to 

 avoid such nests as if they were new devices 

 to entrap or slay them," and the only depre- 

 dator whom he fears is "the irresponsible or 

 malicious small boy." That cats and the 

 bird-killing Hawks should not take prey 

 which is apparently at their mercy is cer- 

 tainly surprising, and we await further 

 information on this point before accepting 

 Professor Herrick's experience as conclu- 

 sive. 



In any event, it is clear enough that the 

 removal of the nest to an exposed place is 



attended by great danger to its contents, 

 and should be undertaken only with the 

 utmost care by a person competent to take 

 atlvantage of the resulting opportunity 

 to photograph and stud}' its life, with due 

 regard to the welfare of the young. 



That the end justifies the means, no one 

 who realizes the value of Professor Herrick's 

 work will deny, and when he tells us that 

 in studying, forty nests of wild birds, the 

 accidents, "which came mainly from inex- 

 perience, could be counted on the fingers of 

 one hand," we are bound to admit that 

 under his control his method has been not 

 only successful but unobjectionable. But, 

 as Mr. Hoffmann remarked, in discussing 

 this subject in Bird-Lore for October last, 

 "it is emphatically not a method to be 

 recommended to the general public." 



We have received a circular announcing 

 that the fourth session of the Alstead School 

 of Natural History will, as heretofore, be 

 held at Alstead Centre, N. H., during five 

 weeks of the coming summer. Mr. Ralph 

 Hoffmann will conduct the class in orni- 

 thology. Particulars of enrolment may 

 be learned of W. L. W. Field, Milton, 

 Mass. 



We have also received an annoimcement 

 of a new Nature Study School, organized 

 under the auspices of the Massachusetts 

 Institute of Technology, to be held at 

 Sharon, Mass., during the four weeks fol- 

 lowing July 9. The school will be under 

 the direction of Dr. G. W. Field, of the 

 Institute of Technology, whose wide ex- 

 perience in nature-stud}' teaching insures 

 the success of this wholly admirable under- 

 taking. 



Dr. Field will be assisted by Mr. E. A. 

 Winslow, who acts as secretary of the school, 

 and may be addressed at the Massachusetts 

 Institute of Technology, Prof. G. H. Barton, 

 Mr. J. G. Jack, Mr. H. A. Kirkland, Mr. 

 Wm. Lyman Underwood, and other well- 

 known teachers. 



Mr. Underwood's cooperation is an as- 

 surance that the subject of animal photog- 

 raphy will receive particular attention, and 

 the opportunity for instruction in this branch 

 of work is therefore unusual. 



