BULLETIN No. 35 5 1 



fourth place, when many persons have completed a census in 

 nian\' different places and under many different conditions, we 

 shall have an excellent hasis tor determining the bird popula- 

 latinn for lar^e reu,ions of countr\-, if not finally for the whole 

 countr\'. And this determination, which has never yet been 

 att iiipted even approximatelv for even a single species, will 

 tell us, broadh', what ma\- be the fluctuations in the bird popu- 

 lation as the \-ears pass. With all this will natm-ally o;o the 

 determination of tilt- causes of decrease, where there may be 

 aiu', and the best methods of encourauin;^ an increase where it 

 ma\' be advisable. 



1 have several times before uriied the nt^^i'd for such work 

 now before primitive conditions have wholly, passed away, be- 

 fore the advance of the irresistable tide of human chano;es,and 

 1 wish to ur^e a;j;ain. with all the earnestness at command, en- 

 tering upon this line of work at once. None of us are so 

 hedo;ed about bv other duties but a little time can be devoted 

 to census takin,i!; for some small area, and now, while so many 

 of the birds are occupied with family cares, and are consequently 

 'at home', is the time to be.Liin the work. Let the first attempt 

 be in \'our own door-varJ, if \'ou prefer, oiily let it be<i;in. 

 You will be readv for a lar}j:er field when you have finished that, 

 and \-ou will then be better able to plan what you have to do. 

 Let vour work include onlv those birds which have a nest in the 

 chosen area, counting two for each nest, of course. If a pair 

 of birds probabh- have a nest in the area, but you are unable' 

 to find it, these ma\- be counted also. 



You ma_\' be in search of an area larger than the door yard. 

 If so, the more representative one _\du can select the better. 

 The ideal area would be one which included a little of every 

 sort of countr\- in the region. Let me caution _vou not to be 

 too ambitious in the selection of an area. Let it be small enouji;h 

 So there v\ill be no possible questi(jn of your coverin^i it in a 

 reasonable time before it becomes an irksome task. You must 

 not let voLi recreation become a wearing burJieii. 



A.Liain let me caution vou to be careful what birds you re- 

 cord in this Census. Not ever\' bird that sin.Li:^ on \-our chosen 

 plot can be considered a resident of it, but a little attention will 



