l8 THE OREGON' NATURALIST. 



We have the best ooportunities for investiga- of such birds from various sections of Oregon 

 tion I might say, in the whole country in that during breeding season and have them proper- 

 we have an extensive and almost untrodden ly identified, this will bring out any difference in 

 field open to us. We are not far from the re- the haljitat of the birds. A number of skins 

 sorts of the sea birds, the dwelling places of the have already been donated to our society and 

 inland water birds, the haunts of those that live we are in hopes during the coming year of in- 

 far back in the deep woods and on craggy creasing the collection considerai^ly, 

 mountains and the homes of those that build in The study of bird life like any otiitr study 

 the meadows and around our cities. We are requires, as I have said before, patience and 

 surrounded by the aerie of the eagle along the persistance But these requisites are unnoticed 

 Columbia, the plains of the prairie chicken on when one becomes mterested in the study. It 

 the east, the lakes and marshes of the ducks is fascinating; a study that one does not tire of. 

 aud geese on the south and the rocks and crags The successful student of bird? must be a 

 of the gulls, petrels and cormorants on the west, careful observer, a persistant i ambler through 



Now, concerning our work for the coming field and forest, along streams and by lakes. 



year, we should for one thing do all we can to He wiio woidd know a iiird must visit it in 



revise and complete the list of Oregon birds com- its own haunt anrl train his ear to distinguish it 



piled a year ago. This will be brought about by its vaiied notes. 



in time by careful observation during breeding A knowledge of birds can be obtained from 



season and keeping up work on the migration books or from the specimens in a collection but 



of birds. bird idec.m unly be studied among living birds. 



In pursuing the study of .some of our birds The beauty of a flower might be painted on 

 during the past year we have met with a few that canvass but its fiMgrance would never be 

 we have been unable to properly identify. 'I'his imagined, so the song of a bird might be de- 

 is especially true where the i)ir(is of the same scribed in a hook but no set of syllables ever 

 family have been subdivided into different suggested the melody of a birds song or impart- 

 species, on account of variations in color and ed that thrill of gladness as when uttered in the 

 each are said to inhabit this region. If this be deepsolitudesof the forest or by the shady side 

 true it will be readily seen that every time a ofsoine ri)ipiing rid. 



bird of these species is taken, the collector has Ornithology is a life study, I do not mean by 



no way of properly identifying it from the works this iliat one's entire life should he devoted to 



on Ornithology he may possess. that and nothing else. But if one liecomes 



In way ofillustration; the Woodpecker family thoroughly interested in the study and the 



has been subdivided on account of slight vari I- formation of a collection it h.is a fascination 



tions in color and it is said that both Colaptes that grows more and more an 1 no matter what 



cafer and Colaptes cafer saturalior inhabit position he may be jilaced his interest ever 



Oregon, but it cannot be definitely stated what serves to keep him alert for the addition of new 



territory is inhabited by one and not the other, facts or sjjecimens. 



Therefore every oologist who has a set of eggs In making a thorouj^h study of /oology one 



of either bird taken in Oregon is not certain of must study Ornithology, should one become 



the name unless the parent birds have been ver.secl in the .Science of Ornithology he must 



killed and sent to .some authority for identifica- study Oology and understand the niflification 



tion. We are organized partly for the jmrpose of birds 'i'his necessitates ihe collecting of 



of removing su-h obstructions if possible. The eggs and the careful examiiiaiion of nests, 



step to span this difhculty has already been The formation of i)n oological collection and 



taken and I think we can succeed if our mem- the continuance of it will jnove a constant re- 



bers will respond. Our plan is to secure skins minder of days long gone by and recall the 



