this character. To the west toward Rochester the land is 

 divided into farms, consisting of cultivated land, grass land 

 and woodland, such as may be seen generally throughout 

 eastern Massachusetts. 



Now, let us look at the condition of the farm itself, when 

 acquired, that we may consider its unaided capacity for attract- 

 ing and sustaining a variety of bird life. The owner having 

 left the place, it had been occupied for some years by tenants. 

 This occupation had not conduced to its improvement, inas- 

 much as some land that might have been tilled had been left 

 to the processes of nature, and had grown weeds, shrubbery 

 and young trees. Such tangles, however much they interfere 

 with good farming, seldom fail to hold out some attraction to 

 birds, and for this reason they may be allowed to remain, 

 wherever it can be done consistently with the purpose of the 

 utilitarian. 



As there were less than nine acres of land cleared, it was in 

 the owner's power largely and immediately to control the con- 

 ditions necessary to accommodate a change or increase of bird 

 life, for trees can be cut much quicker than they can be grown. 

 One cannot expect to have many species of useful birds about 

 his farmstead unless he has, or can provide, in addition to his 

 open or cultivated fields, a variety of trees and shrubbery. 

 These will furnish birds food and shelter, roosting and nesting 

 places, and retreats to which they may fly when pursued by 

 their enemies of the air. Most land birds prefer the neighbor- 

 hood of trees, and many species will not inhabit a treeless 

 locality, for some nest almost altogether in the woods. Most 

 birds prefer a well-watered locality. Water is furnished to the 

 farm and adjacent land by several springs and small streams 

 flowing to the river. 



The kitchen garden, where most of the observations herein- 

 after recorded were made, is situated in the rear of the farm- 

 house, and is devoted to the cultivation of vegetables and small 

 fruits. The soil, vegetation and management of the land 

 immediately about it vary greatly. To the west are, first, a 

 few orchard trees; next, a line of evergreens for a wind-break; 

 and beyond these about seventy-five acres of open fields and 

 meadows, where meadowlarks and other native ground-breed- 



