86 All Day With the Birds 



same sort of study, with no less interesting and valuable 

 results. Some of my friends are making monthly records of 

 the birds, planning at least four all day studies during each 

 month. Some, with less opportunity for study, are making 

 seasonal lists, based primarily upon three all day studies, one at 

 the begining, one at the middle and one at the close of the 

 season, supplemented by such records as may be made during 

 the intervals. It is clear that the person who can spend a con- 

 siderable time wnth the birds during each month will have at 

 command monthl}-, seasonal and annual lists. In making any 

 seasonal divisions one must largely disregard the calendar 

 seasons and group the birds according to whether they are 

 resident during the year, whether they are seen only during 

 the winter months, or winter weather, or more exactly, 

 whether they come from the north and spend the winter, 

 whether they are transient visitors, passing the region twice 

 each year, or whether they come from the south, breed and 

 pass south again. Careful study will always disclose the group 

 to which each species belongs during a series of years. 



If we would understand geographical distribution, local 

 and general, fully, a considerable time must be spent with the 

 birds at all seasons. While the mapping of areas of distribu- 

 tion of birds must be based upon breeding birds, because it is 

 during the breeding seavSon that they are really settled for a 

 time, while at other times they are wandering about to a 

 greater or lesser extent, their distribution during the 

 winter season is no less interesting, and capable of throwing 

 light upon some of the problems of summer distribution. The 

 routes of migration mu.st also be regarded in the light of geo- 

 graphical distribution, and the mapping of these routes is of 

 more importance in the discussion of the di.stribution and 

 origin of present da}- species than many persons think. These 

 remarks apply principall}' to the question of continent distri- 

 bution, it is true, but how are we to exactly know about such 

 general distribution unless we begin with local distribution? 

 Hence, the local list becomes of great importance as furnishing 

 the material for such exact knowledge of general distribution. 

 It may not be clear how the all day studies at any particular 

 time bear upon this question of geographical di.stribution. 

 My an.swer is that they furnish the means of knowing what 



