Bulletin No. 2g. 85 



Lesser Yellow-legs, Greater Yellow-legs, American Osprey — were new 

 to the Water Works Reservoir. 



The work was confined to the six townships in which the greater part 

 of previous work has been done, chiefly because they afford by far the 

 most varied physical conditions, but partly because a perfect comparison 

 with iSg8 might be drawn. It is very doubtful whether other parts of 

 the county would pay in results for the labor expended. The week spent 

 in camp at the Chance Creek gorge illustrated what riches are in store 

 for him who can spend the late summer weeks with the birds. 



The county list now numbers 227 species, representing over twenty 

 years of more or less active work upon the local bird fauna. During the 

 last four years 198 species have been recorded. The number common to 

 each of the four years is 122, and to each of the last three years 145. 

 The experiences of the few years just past lead me to think that in this 

 region about 130 species inhabit the countv at some time during the year 

 in sufficient numbers to make their record practically certain by one who 

 is willing to put himself to some inconvenience to look for them. In 

 addition to this number there are some sixty or seventy others which are 

 not so regular or not numerous enough to be certainly counted upon 

 during any one season. One must know their favorite resorts or the 

 times when they are most likely to pass through the county if he expects 

 to meet them. 



He who would study the birds of his locality with the largest results 

 must give careful heed to the weather, not merely for the day or for the 

 week, but for the whole year. The daily weather charts are indispensible 

 to the working field ornithologist. They enable him to predict the larger 

 bird-movements with almost absolute accuracy, giving as they do, the 

 sum total of the weather conditions over the entire country. And not less 

 important, they enable him to plan his work intelligently, not merely 

 hours, but for days ahead. 



These yearly reports are printed in the Bulletin in the hope that the 

 bird student who seems to himself to lack a field worthy of his effort and 

 time, may come to realize that in every locality whatsoever there is room 

 for much interesting and valuable work ; that it is not needful that he 

 should spend time and money in some apparently especially favorable 

 place if he is to contribute something to our knowledge of birds. We 

 need to work where we are and with what resources we have if the birds 

 are to become wholly known. 



LvNDs Jones, Oberlin, Ohio 



