188 Bird- Lore 



some other direction, and at last gets just where you want him; you snap 

 the shutter, and when you develop the plate find, very likely, that just as 

 you made the exposure the bird had turned its head, though keeping the 

 body perfectly still. I have had numbers of exposures spoiled that way. It 

 is certainly very aggravating to develop a plate and find perfect, sharp detail 

 on body, wings, tail and legs, and the head a shapeless blur. The birds 

 must think their pictures are being taken for the Rogue's Gallery! 



The birds have several different notes, most of them of a distinct Jay 

 character, but beyond me to reduce to writing. My ears are not sharp 

 enough for that. There is also one note which sounds extremely like the 

 call of the Red-tailed Hawk. So strong is the resemblance that I often 

 have to look to see which bird it is uttering the call. After all, I don't 

 think we western folks have such a spite against Whiskey John as the 

 woodsmen of Maine and Canada seem to cherish. He is a jolly, good- 

 natured sort of fellow, and, if you don't have too many small things lying 

 about loose, does not do verv much harm. 



Bird-Lore's Christmas Bird Census 



THE interest aroused by Bird-Lore's Christmas Bird Census in 1900 

 and 1901, prompts us again to invite our readers to join in this 

 modern development of the 'Side Hunt,' on December 25, 1902. 

 Reference to the February, 1901, or 1902 numbers of Bird-Lore will 

 acquaint one with the nature of the report of the day's hunt which we de- 

 sire; but to those to whom -neither of these issues are available we may ex- 

 plain that such reports should be headed by a brief statement of the 

 character of the weather, whether clear, cloudy, raining, etc., whether the 

 ground is bare or snow-covered, the direction and force of the wind, the 

 temperature at the time of starting, the hour of starting and of returning. 

 Then should be given, in the order of the A. O. U. 'Check-List,' a list 

 of the species seen, with exactly, or approximately, the number of individuals 

 of each species recorded. A record should read, therefore, as follows: 



Yonkers, N. Y., Time 8 A. m. to 12 M. Clear; ground bare; wind west, 

 light; temperature 38 . Herring Gull, 75; etc. Total, — species, — 

 individuals.— James Gates. 



These records will be published in the February issue of Bird-Lore, 

 and it is particularly requested that they be sent the editor (at Englewood, 

 N. J.) not later than December 28. 



