Vol. XXXIII 



1915 



Correspondence. 267 



CORRESPONDENCE. 

 A Bird Census of the United States. 



Editor of ' The Auk ' : 



Dear Sir: A preliminary census of the birds of the United States was 

 undertaken by the Bureau of Biological Survey during the spring of 1914. 

 The results were so encouraging that the work is to be repeated in the spring 

 of 1915 on a larger scale, and will probably be repeated yearly hereafter in 

 order to obtain permanent records showing the fluctuations in the bird 

 population of the United States. Observers are particularly desired in 

 the West and South and it is hoped that the readers of ' The Auk ' will be 

 able to render valuable assistance in the campaign for the coming 

 season. Anyone familiar with the birds nesting in his neighborhood can 

 help, more particularly as only about the equivalent of one day's work is 

 needed. 



The general plan is to select an area containing not less than 40 nor more 

 than 80 acres that fairly represents the average conditions of the district 

 with reference to the proportions of plowed land, meadowland, and woods, 

 and go over this selected area early in the morning during the height of the 

 nesting season and count the singing males, each male being considered to 

 represent a nesting pair. In the latitude of Washington, D. C, the best 

 time is the last week in May; in the South the counting should be done 

 ear her; while in New England and the northern part of the Mississippi 

 Valley about June 10 is the proper time. The morning count should be 

 supplemented by visits on other days to make sure that all the birds previ- 

 ously noted are actually nesting within the prescribed area and that no 

 species has been overlooked. 



Readers of 'The Auk' and others who are willing to volunteer for this 

 work are requested to send their names and addresses to the Biological 

 Survey, Washington, D. C. Full directions for making the census and 

 blank forms for the report will be forwarded in time to permit well con- 

 sidered plans to be formulated before the time for actual field work. As the 

 Bureau has no funds available for the purpose, it must depend on the 

 services of voluntary observers. 



Very truly yours, 



U. S. Dept. Agr. E. W. Nelson. 



Feb. 16, 1915. . Assistant Chief, Biological Survey. 



[It is to be hoped that the readers of 'The Auk' will respond promptly 

 to Mr. Nelson's appeal. The Biological Survey has done so much for both 

 birds and bird students throughout the country that this request for cooper- 

 ation should meet with a hearty response. — Ed.]. 



