The Birds’ Calendar 
ceptions, 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 
12 
