The Audubon Societies 135 



the end. This bird has been a mystery to us all summer. Although we have 

 heard it very often on the hot summer days, we have never been able to get 

 close enough to identify it. 



We found several pairs of Dickcissels that chirped their song from tall weeds 

 in the hay fields. They said: ''chip chip chip chip chip.''' (do mi sol mi mi.) 



We also thought that we identified the Savannah Sparrow that sat on a 

 weed in similar fashion, singing "tsup, tsup," ending in an explosive sort of 

 whistle or trill which it is impossible to indicate on paper. 



The doings of the boys' club would fill a large volume, but, as indicative 

 of the spirit of sympathy with wild creatures, let me relate just one more cir- 

 cumstance. 



Having found some young Redbirds (Cardinals) just learning to fly, I 

 asked the boys if they would like to take them home and try to raise them. 

 They said yes, they would like to, but did not want "to disappoint the old 

 birds." — C. C. Custer, Piqua, Ohio. 



[This communication answers in a very practical way the inquiry of a teacher who 

 wishes to know how to conduct outdoor excursions of young pupils in bird- and nature- 

 study. The fact that the excursions described were made on Sunday afternoons has 

 nothing to do with the value of the method employed. The class of twelve boys evi- 

 dently saw things and got a great deal out of the trips besides needed exercise. 



It would be useless, probably, to caution such classes against chasing birds, since it 

 takes a well-seasoned observer to maintain perfect patience and self-control in moments 

 of ornithological excitement. 



However, it is well to remember that the quiet observer, who is willing to devote 

 plenty of time to each observation, usually gets more, in the end, than the hasty, thought- 

 less person. Some day this class will find out to its satisfaction the Bank or Rough- 

 winged Swallow, whichever species it happens to be, and the bird whose song did not 

 disclose its identity. The apparent failures of a bird-walk are likely to be as valuable 

 as the successes. — A. H. W.] 



A BIRD-STUDY CLASS IN NORTH DAKOTA 



About three dozen of our native birds are known to nest in the vicinity 

 of our town and on the shores of the two small lakes near by. Robins, Meadow- 

 larks, Song Sparrows, and Chestnut-collared Longspurs are some of the sweet 

 singers we hear almost daily during the summer months. One of the very 

 interesting species is the Bobolink, discovered near one of the lakes on an early 

 morning in June. There were two males that sang, apparently not heeding 

 us, and keeping only a few yards distant. That successfully hidden some- 

 where near were the nests and mother birds, we did not doubt. The gay sum- 

 mer dress and delightful song of the male Bobolink gave great pleasure to the 

 Junior Audubon members, who made a majority of the party. Yellow-headed 

 and Red-winged Blackbirds, Mourning Doves, Sandpipers, and Plovers were 

 also seen on the same excursion. The Baltimore Oriole, Brown Thrasher, 

 Wren, Yellow Warbler, and Maryland Yellow-throat are some of the inter- 



