98 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Department Circular No. 2, September, 1918. Food, Feeding and Drink- 

 ing Appliances, and Nesting Material to attract Birds. 



Hints for Out-door Bird Study, seventh edition, in four parts, revised 

 and reprinted, as follows: — 



1. Nature Leaflet No. 22, How to identify Birds. 



2. Nature Leaflet No. 23, How to find Birds. 



3. Nature Leaflet No. 24, How to approach Birds. 



4. Nature Leaflet No. 25, How to attract Birds. 



The above leaflets will not be reprinted, as it is the present policy of 

 the Department to discontinue all nature leaflets. 



A Study of Bird Distribution. 

 The statute under which the office of State Ornithologist 

 was established made it a part of the incumbent's duty to 

 study the distribution of the birds of the Commonwealth, but 

 did not provide assistance for that purpose or sufficient travel- 

 ing expenses to enable him personally to make a comprehensive 

 survey of the bird life in the territory embraced within its 

 boundaries. The Ornithologist has been so occupied with 

 studies of the food and food habits of birds, and in acting in 

 an advisory capacity to the people of the Commonwealth in 

 matters regarding birds and their protection, that up to the 

 year 1918 such studies as have been made of the distribution 

 of birds were undertaken incidentally in connection with other 

 work. As it would have been impossible under the circum- 

 stances for the Ornithologist personally to make an adequate 

 study of the distribution of our birds in less than ten to fifteen 

 years, the assistance of voluntary observers in many parts of 

 the State was requested. An act passed in 1917 having given 

 to the incumbent of this office the power to appoint unpaid 

 observers, correspondence was begun with people known to 

 be fitted for the task, and several signified their willingness to 

 act. A quest for others was begun in December, 1917, in the 

 hope that some one qualified to serve, or willing to qualif}', 

 w^ould be found in every tow^n in the Commonwealth. This 

 quest has been continued up to this day. Naturalists, sports- 

 men and others who were well acquainted in their respective 

 regions were appealed to and asked to send in the names of 

 those who knew birds. In many cases correspondence was 

 opened with postmasters, who w^re requested to send to the 

 oflfice the addresses of such persons. 



