CHAPTER IX 



BIRDS; AND HOW TO OBSERVE THEM 

 I. HOW TO OBSERVE BIRDS 



Many people who attempt to observe birds go 

 about it in a very curious way, and I have often 

 been highly amused at the reports which have been 

 given to me of the poor results that have some- 

 times followed the efforts of some of my friends. 

 Two very essential rules must be observed if the 

 young naturalist is desirous of successfully stalk- 

 ing birds, and these are, absolute quietness must 

 be observed, and an infinite amount of patience 

 must be displayed. 



I have had people with me on some of my bird- 

 watching expeditions who made enough noise and 

 commotion to frighten every bird we came across 

 into the next county, and then they wondered, 

 when the ramble was over, how it was our list 

 totalled so many different species, most of which 

 the noisy members of the party had neither seen 

 nor heard! 



Personally I have always found that the best 

 way to achieve success in bird-watching and 

 stalking is to go alone, armed with a reliable field- 



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