i8 Bird -Lore 



are frequently met with, while few or imperfect songs are heard. 

 But it is excellent drill ! 



The museum affords a perpetual refuge for the confused ones, 

 and is often a great help in straightening out difficulties. Each bird 

 seen in the field is exhibited before the class and comments made 

 upon it. A part of the work of this term is recitation upon each 

 of the species seen at any time during the term. This serves to 

 bring to a focus one's mental picture of the species. 



During favorable weather the field work is distributed over two 

 mornings and two afternoons, and either a whole day excursion to 

 some especially favored spot or a third afternoon. Four such 

 all-day excursions are arranged during the term. The morning work 

 occupies the two hours between 4:30 and 6:30 a. m. , the afternoon 

 work from 2:30 to 7:30 p. m. The four morning hours count for 

 larger results numerically than the fifteen afternoon hours, but the 

 contrast afforded is useful. The all-day excursions give the needed 

 contrasts of the different hours of the whole day, while furnishing 

 the means of comparing the fauna of fields and roadsides with woods 

 and thickets. Streams, ponds and Lake Erie are visited, where 

 many water frequenting species are seen. 



At the last exercise of the class each student submits the results 

 of the term's work in a paper, which gives the local geographical 

 distribution of each species seen, representations or descriptions of 

 the manner of flight, the food, the song, habits as far as noticed, 

 and nests and eggs of such species as have been found nesting. All 

 this is taken from the note-book, of course. 



The total number of species seen by the class during this term's 

 work exceeds go. Of these fully 70 will be seen satisfactorily, 

 giving opportunity for study. Individual field work will swell the 

 list of species well seen just in the proportion that the field work 

 is done with keen interest and discrimination. There is no better 

 illustration than this term's work of what can be accomplished even 

 in the heated term of summer. He who pursues the study of the 

 birds at this time will be sure to meet with many pleasant sur- 

 prises. 



