230 HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



abundant information at the public libraries, the 

 larger bookstores, and from publishers. Yet some 

 general lines of reading may be suggested. 



One of these is concerned with further information 

 as to various birds which we have tried in vain to 

 find. It may be that we have been delighted to find 

 some uncommon nest, and we have a great curiosity 

 to learn how other observers have fared, how their 

 experience corresponds with ours. If it be that we 

 have had poor success in finding certain nests, or have 

 come into a region where there are unfamiliar species, 

 I know from my own experience that it is most fas- 

 cinating to read everything that can possibly be found 

 upon the subject. In this connection, such a book as 

 Chapman's " Warbler Book " is a model for facts 

 about some species, being a mass of detailed informa- 

 tion from various observers in different localities as 

 to their own experiences with that bird. Major 

 Bendire began this line of writing in his two initial 

 volumes on the " Life Histories of North American 

 Birds," which splendid series, unfortunately, was 

 stopped by his death, but which we fervently hope 

 may somehow be continued. 



Another line of reading might be called the in- 

 spirational type in which are retailed the experiences 

 of the author with the birds afield and his thoughts 

 and descriptions of them in their life-setting. This 

 may be very artistically and charmingly done, from a 

 literary standpoint, as in the writings of Frank Bolles. 

 The hunting of birds with the camera instead of the 



