The Birds' Calendar 



captions, were all made in that small section 

 known as " The Ramble," covering only about 

 one-sixteenth of a square mile. There is a 

 significance in this fact that should not be over- 

 looked, for it effectually disposes of the com- 

 mon argument against the practicability of this 

 pursuit, on the ground of its requiring one to 

 traverse large areas, at great expense of time, 

 and perhaps of money, thus making it in- 

 compatible with all business pursuits. When 

 almost in the heart of a great metropolis such 

 facilities are afforded to the naturalist, they will 

 not be very far to seek in any locality. With- 

 in this little retreat I have, during the year, 

 found represented nineteen of the twenty-one 

 families of song birds in the United States ; 

 some of them quite abundantly in genera and 

 species ; with a sprinkling of species from sev- 

 eral other classes of land and water birds. 



An ornithologist can scour the country, and 

 pick up one bit of rare experience here, and 

 another there, and the narration of his choicest 

 discoveries during a course of years makes most 

 delightful reading. But it may be questioned 

 whether such books are not as much a discour- 

 agement as an incentive to those who, not hav- 

 ing equal opportunities of research, are likely 



