The Wilson Bulletin — No. 46. 23 



THE MAY HORIZON. 



So much interest was shown in the May Horizon last year, 

 and such good results grew out of it, that we are ready to un- 

 dertake it again the coming May. If possible, it would be 

 the best plan to spend several whole days with the birds dur- 

 ing May; but if that is not possible, then plan to spend some 

 one whole day with them, in the definite expectation of 

 making your list for that day reach the hundred mark. 

 Woods, fields, marshes, and bodies of water should be inclu- 

 ded in the field of operations if possible. It is alwaj's best to 

 give the region as much study as possible the day previous to 

 the day set for the supreme effort, so that you may be able to 

 find the less common species with the least expenditure of 

 time. You cannot hope for a very large list unless the study 

 begins as soon as the morning light is strong enough to make 

 large birds visible. I expect to get the owls during the morn- 

 ing twilight, and the Whipporwill during the evening twi- 

 light. If you must sleep, do it at high noon. You will need 

 four lunches at least, and if you eat them while you watch for 

 birds, you will be surprised at the number of new records that 

 are made during the meal in the woods or beside the lake or 

 pond. Lists sent to the editor not later than the 12th of May 

 can be printed in the Bulletin 



A DOOR-YARD LIST OF BIRDS. 



BY ROBERT L. BAIRD. 



Many local lists are monthly published in our bird maga- 

 zines. These are valuable and show the increased interest in 

 bird study. Many of these lists are from favored localities 

 and few are from such limited areas as one's own door-yard. 

 It is with the purpose of showing some of the possibilities in 

 this time that I contribute the following account from my 

 notes and check-book for September and the first twenty days 

 of October, 1902: 



At this time ray home was with Dr. Chas. Hancock, of 

 Denmark, Lee County, Iowa. Dr. Hancock's place is situa- 

 ted at the southeast edge of town. With the exception of one 

 house across the road, there is no other within a hundred and 

 fifty yards. The lot is about a hundred and fifty yards long 

 by sixty to seventy wide. About the house are six or seven 

 evergreen trees, Norway Spruce. Cedar and Pine, several fruit 

 trees and an Osage Orange tree. At the farther end of the 

 lot is a row of Locust trees. Part of the place was devoted to 

 a garden, but a large part was simply in grass. 



Within these limits I saw or heard forty different species of 

 birds in the seven weeks of the fall above mentioned. Not 



