Hints to Young Bird Students i^5 



syllables of which the Bittern's music is composed. The discussion 

 began by our hearing a single far-away note, repeated at the ])roper 

 intervals, at a time when we could not well follow it up. Later inves- 

 tigation, to our no small surprise, compelled us to settle down upon 

 the conclusion that the first note was the one last to be lost as we 

 traveled away from the bird. We were surprised, I say, for the 

 second note is the one which bears, or seems to bear, the accent. 

 Plinii-pud-iVn, the creature appears to say, with an emphasis fairly to 

 be called violent upon the middle note. Why, then, should not 

 the middle note be heard farthest ? What is emphasis, anyhow, 

 if not, as the dictionary says, a "special force of voice." Could there 

 be something peculiar, we asked ourselves, in the quality of the first 

 syllable, which made it carry beyond the others ? We discussed the 

 matter eagerly, trudging to and fro to make certain of the fact itself, 

 and agreed, if I remember rightly, upon a plausible explanation. As 

 I review the case, however, I am so much in doubt as to the correct- 

 ness of our theory that it seems quite as well not to state it, but to 

 leave the question to any Bird-Lore reader who may some day have 

 nothing better to do than to investigate it for himself. 



Jfor Ceacl)er0 anD ^tutient0 



Hints to Young Bird Students* 



'T has always been our experience that young bird students who 

 have just crossed the threshold of ornithology are glad to 

 turn for a word of advice and assistance to their older 

 brethren, who have already made some progress in the 

 science ; and it has always been a pleasure for us to give 

 such aid. In view of these facts, we take this opportunity 

 of offering a few words of counsel for the benefit of those 



who are beginning the study of birds. 



Doubtless every beginner looks upon the formation of a collection 



as necessarily the first step on the ornithological ladder; and probably 



a collection of eggs is preferred to a collection of birds, because the 



specimens can be prepared much more readily. 



*From a leaflet prepared under the initiative of Mr. Witmer Stone, Conservator Ornithological 

 Section, Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia. These "hints" are addressed to students who desire to 

 become scientific ornithologists and to whom specimens are a necessity. They show, however, 

 how few specimens are required, and how much more there is to learn from living birds than fiom 

 dead ones. 



