200 NATURE STUDY REVIEW [8:5— May, 1912 



cannot wade are able to walk from one boat to another to a nest 

 and back again. By this system, nests of the American and Least 

 Bitterns, the Black Tern, the Coot, Florida Gallinule, Yellow- 

 headed Blackbird, and Long-billed Marsh Wren have been visited 

 by a party of forty-five in a single forenoon. Other interesting 

 birds and their 4iests are observed on this trip. 



Success in field work requires that answers to numerous 

 questions be made. As beginners will usually think of very few 

 questions for themselves a carefully planned scheme is desirable. 

 This involves a consideration of every conceivable character or 

 condition of the bird which may be of practical value in identifica- 

 tion as well as in general natural history or ecological correlations. 

 This scheme is stated on a mimeographed sheet which the student 

 is asked to place in his field note book. Though the student is sup- 

 posed to show initiative in using this outline, it has been found 

 necessary in practice for the section leader to suggest the points 

 in the outline which are especially applicable or workable in view- 

 ing each bird. Thus he knows that acceleration or accent in song 

 may be characteristic of a certain species, and when this bird is 

 first heard singing, questions are proposed to the section whicli 

 will bring out observations of this sort. The walking habit of 

 another bird, white wing bars, a long neck, etc., are emphasized 

 in the same way. Not only the more striking characteristics but 

 many points of comparison are considered if the bird stays in view 

 long enough. As a rule, of course, the first acquaintance is a short 

 one and observations of the species are made at other times as op- 

 portunities are ofifered. These notes are placed on catalog cards, 

 a card being used for each species, and the cards are examined 

 occasionally by the instructor who suggests corrections or im- 

 provements. 



The field notes are also examined and discussed during the 

 last ten minutes of the field-trip on which they are made. 



The temptation is strong, when birds are numerous, to cut 

 short the study of one bird to look at another bird that may have 

 come into view. It has been the writer's experience, however, 

 that the final results of the course are much better when this im 

 pulse is resisted, unless the new arrival is of very unusual occur- 

 rence. There should be patient study of each bird so long as it 

 remains in an observable position, until a good set of observa- 

 tions is made. The outline employed in the«field is as follows: 



DIRECTIONS FOR FIELD WORK WITH .BIRDS. 



1. Diagnosis of Characters. This work requires patience but is 

 indispensable to sound work in the course. Take plenty of time to make 



