BIRDS OF XEW YORK 6l 



proficiency of the observer in recognizing birds at a glance, and his knowl- 

 edge of their proper haunts and the time of their appearance, as well as his 

 energ}- in the search and the amount of time at his disposal. After carefully 

 reviewing the list of New York birds, I am convinced that any one well 

 acquainted with the different species, who is willing to devote one dav 

 each week to field work, through the year, and four half days each week in 

 Ajjril and May, can surely see a list of 114 species of land birds and about 

 50 water birds, with a possible additional list of 40 or 50 land birds and 15 

 or 20 water birds. This assumes of course that he is so situated that he can 

 visit the pro])er haunts of the water birds as well as the forest-loving species 



The largest daily lists are made along the slopes of river valleys, and 

 near the coast or the lake shores where there is a convergence of migration 

 routes. 



An excellent way of recording the migrations, or of taking a bird census, 

 is to form an association of workers who can divide the countr^■ between 

 them each day, and meet at intervals to compare and record their observa- 

 tions. This method has been em])loyed with success by the Bird Section 

 of the Rochester Academ)- of Science in studying the spring migrations of 

 1902 to 1907, and by the Department of Vertebrate Zoology of Cornell 

 University in 1905 and 1906. The result has been the assembling of excep- 

 tionally full and accurate migration dates for those stations [see Monroe 

 count}' and Tompkins county, tables of migration]. Of great value, also, 

 are the data of individual observers, who have recorded the migrations at 

 the same station through a series of years, as has been done by Dr Merriam 

 at Locust Grove, Dr Fisher at Ossining, and Dr Mearns at Highland 

 Falls. 



It is possible for a single observer to record as many as 100. or even 

 130 different species of birds in one day, provided his energy is unlimited, 

 and he has made a careful preliminary survey of the ground, and there is 

 means of rapid conveyance l:)etween forest and copse, meadow and stream, 

 swamp and lake. But to do this, one must be familiar with their haunts 

 and know all the birds so well that they can be recognized at long distance, 



