PAET I. 



CHAPTER I. 



COLLECTINa AND PRESERVING BIRDS. 



Section I. Hoio to collect. — Personal experience is a 

 good, and in fact the only adequate, teacher we can have 

 in learning any art. The need of such a teacher is felt by 

 none more than by the naturalist who wishes to bring to- 

 gether a complete collection of the birds of even his own 

 immediate district. Hence I trust I shall not be accused 

 of egotism, if, in this section, I endeavor to impart to the 

 reader some things that experience has taught me. 



It is of first importance for the collector to gain as com- 

 plete a knowledge as possible of the notes and habits of 

 birds, and of the localities frequented by those he wishes 

 to procure. This knowledge may be gained by carefully 

 studying the writings of men who have paid particular 

 attention to the subject. Too much dependence must not 

 be placed on books, as the best of these contain error as 

 well as truth ; besides, birds are very variable in their hab- 

 its in different localities. The collector must then depend 

 mainly upon himself. He must visit every locality, — the 

 mountain-top and the dark swampy thicket, as well as the 

 meadow, the plain, or the open forest, as in each of these 

 localities he will find species that he may no^v, meet else- 

 where. A little patience will help any ons through the 

 worst of places. 



The quaking bog, where a misstep may plunge the adven- 

 turer into the slimy ooze, is also an excellent locality for 



