BIRDS 59 



about the date. Cultivate two important qualities patience, and the ability 

 to sit still. Do not theorize simply record the facts that you are sure of. 



As for equipment : I refer to the use of the pocket telescope in another 

 chapter. It is cheaper and less bulky than binoculars. If you photograph, 

 the camera described will be most useful ; but perhaps most important of all 

 is the pencil and notebook. If you are to sit still for some time, take a piece 

 of brown paper, or a more permanent material, such as waterproof, for a 

 seat. To those who use the telescope, I add, take your walking-stick stand, 

 referred to in the chapter on Apparatus. 



Guide to British Birds. 



In the following pages an attempt has been made to provide a means of 

 identifying a large number of our British birds. Such details of size, plumage, 

 note, etc., are set down as, I trust, may enable the reader to distinguish the 

 different species. The further table is to provide a simple key to the identifica- 

 tion of nests and eggs which are met with, when the young naturalist has no 

 opportunity of seeing the birds themselves. 



Obviously the first feature which will be observed in a bird is the size, 

 and if it be remembered that the Common House Sparrow is 6 inches long, 

 the Blackbird and Mistle Thrush loj inches, the Wood Pigeon 16 inches, and 

 the Rook 19 inches, we have here four standards of comparison. Placing birds 

 as near to these sizes as possible, we have the following lists. 



The next step is to find the picture which the bird most closely resembles. 

 For this purpose the illustrations are grouped according to the four standards 

 of sizes. 



Then pass to the detailed description given ; specially noting whether the 

 bird is stated to be in the district where you think you have seen it, and, if 

 possible, corroborate by the description of the nest and eggs. 



For those who wish for a classified list of birds, the following* is added. 



I. Order : PASSERIFORMES. 

 i. Family : Corvidce CROWS. 



1. Raven Corvus cor ax cor ax. 



2. Carrion Crow Corvus cor one cor one. 



3. Hooded Crow Corvus cornix cornix. 



4. Rook Corvus frugilegus frugilegus. 



5. Jackdaw Corvus monedula spermologus. 



6. Magpie Pica pica pica. 



7. Jay Garrulus glandarius rufitergum. 



8. Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax. 



* Adapted from Kirkman. The first name gives the genus, the second the species, the third 

 the sub-species, when clearly recognized. The number in the alphabetical description following 

 corresponds with this list. 



