31 



WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU GO OUT WITHOUT 

 YOUR GUN. 



By W. a. D. Lees, 



Read February '28th, 1 889. 

 When I was asked to read yoii a paper on the birds, I felt that I 

 was very unfit for the task, never having had any more than a nodding 

 acquaintance with the science of Ornithology, and having only begun a 

 year ago to observe the birds with any degree of care. Still I could not 

 make up my mind to lose the chance of telling you some of my first 

 year's experiences so that you might be made aware how much whole- 

 some enjoyment may be got from the study of birds, by any one who is 

 willing to use his eyes and his eax'S, even though he be entirely without 

 technical knowledge. And even here I feel that I shall fail, for no 

 words of mine can adequately express the many and varied delights of a 

 bird-hunt such as I was fortunate enough, almost weekly, last year, to 

 share the enjoyment of with Mr. N. F. Ballantyne, a fellow-member of 

 this Club, and such as I shall do my best to give you a brief outline 

 sketch of. But before I begin, I should like to advise anyone who in- 

 tends making a closer acquaintance with the Vjirds, if possible to induce 

 a friend to become his fellow-student. One will be enough, for the birds 

 do not care to receive too many visitors at a time, but if this one be 

 thoroughly in sympathy with you and with the birds, you will find 

 that this arrangement will not only add a hundredfold to the charm 

 of the work, (if such it may be called) but will be practically 

 useful as well, for, apart from the pleasure of sharing newly ac- 

 quired knowledge with one interested in the same subject, 

 many cases of doubt arise in the identification of birds, where 

 two heads are better than one. Even if you do get into a rather 

 heated discussion, now and then, as to whether a given bird is a Bald 

 Eagle or a Blackburnian Warbler, a Saw-whet Owl or a Wilson's Thrush, 

 neither of you will be likely to carry away any very serious wounds 

 from the fray, and each will determine to make sure of his bird next 

 time. 



