146 Tue Stupy oF Birp LiFe. 
has noted all he can—flight, song, call-note, where feeding 
and on what, nest, eggs, and what not—and afterwards he must 
compare with some good standard work what he has found. If 
the standard work does not agree with his observations, he must 
begin again, and see whether he was mistaken, though if he finds 
the same results he need not conclude that he is necessarily 
wrong and the book right. Both may be right in generals, but 
in details no ornithological work can give all information, and 
his own laboriously-collected information may sooner or later 
be corroborated, and if not, he can keep it as special infor- 
mation to be certified or otherwise by frequent noticing of the 
same bird at odd times. 
If the ornithologist knows when and where to find the bird 
he wants, he is far advanced, and these remarks about time do 
not apply so much to him. But it must be remembered that it 
took even him many weary days and hours before he arrived at 
such a state of perfection. He takes a friend with him and 
shows the bird he wants and thinks nothing of it, forgetting 
how long it was before he could locate it himself; but his eager 
and anxious friend is filled with wonder and admiration, and 
rightly too, for birds are not inanimate things, and are not 
accustomed to remain always in one place at one period of the 
day even to suit the pleasure of those who are most intimately 
acquainted with that time and place. At times they will do so 
—hbut it is to suit themselves. 
But all this, someone may say, takes an unconscionably 
long time, and is very laborious. Quite true; but no real know- 
ledge of birds will be gained that is not so gained. If I may 
give one personal experience, I may say that I went every day 
for over three months to one locality to find out the exact call 
and warning notes of the Marsh Tit. Around Dumfries the 
Marsh Tit is nowhere particularly common, and it took me some 
time to find the bird and to be sure of its regular habitat. When 
I had found it, it was not at home every day at the particular 
time I went, and when at last I did hear its note and wrote it 
down as best I could, the next day I wanted to be a little more 
certain, and the next quite certain, and the next to be able to 
describe it to others, and so more than three months passed 
away before I was perfectly satisfied. Whenever that note is 
heard again, and wherever, I can be absolutely certain that it is 
