AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 55 



Flickers^ Sapsuckers^, a Towhee Buntings which sang from a brush heap ; 

 a Carolina Wren and a big Hawk were all within a small radius. Twenty- 

 eight varieties made the list for April 12th. 



May 19th. 



Here am I behind in bird notes^ but I've been "seein' things/' if not 

 writing about them. Lovely, entrancing May ! Events of the bird world 

 have crowded so fast that the diary is at loss to record them all, with the 

 beauty of the fresh spring world, its blossoms, carols and sunshine. 



There have been early trips to orchard, wood, meadow, riverside and lake, 

 where we caught under our glasses the latest Warbler or followed the 

 Thrushes through bushy retreats. Rides and tramps and enthusiasm and 

 knowledge have marked the month. 



On the eighth, having been invited to join a party of teachers, I arose at 

 four o'clock, took a hasty lunch and, notified by telephone, sallied forth 

 about five o'clock to meet some of the party at the corner. Our destination 

 was about a mile away. Skirts pinned up, our feet protected by rubbers, 

 we crossed the fields back of the house which was our trysting place. One 

 of the company wore rubber boots ; another having forgotten her overshoes, 

 had a borrowed pair tied on. 



Along lover's lane we trudged, a quiet but jolly party, armed with field 

 and opera glasses, note books and pencils. Many were the birds we saw in 

 the few hours before school time. Warblers, the Canadian, Chestnut-sided, 

 Black-throated Blue, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Red-start; Thrushes, 

 Vireos,- — a whole company of "early birds" to reward us. 



One funny occurrence was the unconscious lining up of the entire com- 

 pany as one of our number stole ahead to locate a Water Thrush which she 

 had previously seen about a certain spot. At her warning signal and wave 

 of hand, the first one stopped, and each of the rest stole up softly on the line 

 with her until the entire number stood in line of battle with leveled glasses. 

 No wonder the little bird never showed himself. A large party is good for 

 protective purposes but one or two will see more when the shyer birds are 

 the objects of search. 



It is such a pity that one has other business in life besides bird hunting 

 in the beautiful Maytime, when the birds pass through in migration that will 

 not come again for a twelvemonth. 



Perhaps some other amateur will be interested in looking over a list of 

 birds dating up to May twenty-third, when illness put an end to temporary 

 bird-hunting. 



