The Audubon Societies 



263 



Having determined that only a definite area should be studied, it was then 

 decided that the chief aim of the thesis should be to record the exact date of 

 all bird movements and events within that area, which would then be of special 

 value in furnishing the dates of the spring migration for that general section. 

 Secondarily, and chiefly for the benefit of the student writing the thesis, 

 descriptions of the plumage and song of each species were also embodied in 

 the paper. 



The study was begun February i and discontinued May 10. Since the 

 writer, at the beginning of the work, was familiar with but a relatively small 

 number of birds, it was a decided advantage to make the first observations 

 during a winter month when birds were few in number, and then gradually 

 to increase the number of species listed as spring brought its hosts from the 

 South. 



The average daily time spent in the field totaled two hours, as quarter- 

 and half-hours were frequently snatched here and there in addition to the 

 regular afternoon period of study. All notes were taken carefully and syste- 

 matically, every efltort being made to insure absolute accuracy. Small cards, 



THE FARM AXD ORCHARD 



about 3x5 inches, were kept on hand for field use, upon which all observa- 

 tions were placed the moment they were made. Each evening these notes were 

 transferred to larger sheets, 8x10 inches, one sheet being set apart for each 

 species, so that the data for each species was systematized and accessible with 

 all notations dated. These sheets were kept in a loose-leaf notebook, so that 

 additional ones could be easily inserted where necessary. 



