6o Xl'-'W YORK STATU MUSEUM 



Rochester, N. Y., May i8. Three d" and two 9 seen on Cobb's hill 

 before breakfast. 



Rochester, N. Y., May 24. 9 feedingin the white oaks on the Pinnacle, 

 do. May 30. Two 9 on Cobb's hill in the chestnuts and 



white oaks. 



Forest Lawn, N. Y., May 30. 9 feeding in the maples back of Mr 



Perkins's cottage. 



Several other specimens, or the same ones above mentioned, were 

 reported from Rochester as seen by different friends. This year has been 

 unprecedented for the numbers of this species in this vicinity. 



It is absolutely essential that some record of observations be kept. 

 Migration dates, the relative abundance of different species, mating, nest 

 building, first eggs seen, period of incubation, length of time young remain 

 in nest, kind and amount of food brought to young, destruction of nests, 

 special enemies, second broods, beginning and end of song period, time of 

 day the song is heard, description of song and call notes, and many other 

 valuable bits of life history would thus be gathered into such an adjustable 

 notebook and in such order as to be of the greatest satisfaction to the 

 owner as well as to an)' ornithologist seeking information on the birds of 

 the locality. 



The need of such records on the number of birds of each species which 

 may be seen in a given locality is well illustrated by the answers given by 

 12 bird enthusiasts in Monroe county when asked to mark 50 of our com- 

 monest land birds as to their relative abundance, on a basis of counting 

 the English sparrow 10. Estimates of the Bluebird's abundance varied 

 from 1-9. Of the Chickadee from ^-6, of the Crow from 2-10, Phoebe 

 from 1-7, Chimney swift, i^-S, Flicker, ^-7, Barn swallow, ^-8, Least 

 flycatcher, 1-6, Song sparrow, 5-10, while the estimates on the other 40 

 show equal discrepancies. This shows that general impressions are of 

 little value from the standpoint of exact science, and that records of well 

 determined facts form the only safe basis of judgment. 



Many bird lovers wish to know how many species of birds it is possible 

 to see in one day, or in an entire season. This depends of course on the 



