THE OOLOGIST. 



117 



•not to unduly swell the record by 

 entering them over again. At the end 

 •oif each day the results can be transfer- 

 red to the permanent record. To some 

 the work may seem an irksome slavery, 

 hopelessly interfering with their enjoy- 

 ment of the beauties of nature. But 

 M'ith a very little practice they will he 

 ^surprised to see how ea.sy it becomes, 

 and how much more thoroughlj^ they 

 observe when they have an increased 

 incentive to identify every bird and 

 count the number in"each flock. 



Tu illustrate the system, I give a 

 brief extract from the notes taken near 

 Cambridge last season by Jonathan 

 Dvvight, Jr., and myself. 



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As a matter of convenience we use 

 for a ijermanent record pages on which 

 the species likely to be met with are 

 printed in systematic order down the 

 left hand margin. These pages are 



ruled both horizontally and vertically, 

 and the vertical columns headed with 

 the days of the month, so that a space 

 is given for the entry of each species 

 under each day. This greatly facili- 

 tates the making of the original entry, 

 and upon subsequent reference to it the 

 history of the occurrence and abun- 

 dance of any species during the period 

 of observation may be read at a glance. 



When it happens to be impossible to 

 make an exact count — as is sometimes 

 the case with a large flock of birds — the 

 fact of the number recorded being only 

 an estimate can be indicated by attach- 

 ing t(j the flgures any arbitraiy sign to 

 suit the fancy of the observer. Simi- 

 larly, signs and abbreviations can be 

 used to indicate that a species was in 

 flocks, Avas apparently migrating, was 

 singing, etc. As a rule, however, such 

 facts can Idc more profitably treated at 

 greater length in the note-book proper. 



Hoping that others inay be induced 

 to follow this plan, and so, with but 

 little trouble, greatly increase the scien- 

 tific value of their field-work. 



C. F. Batcheldek, 

 Cambridge, Ma.ss. 



March 14, 1890. 



BOOK REVIEW. 



Any book reviewed in tUese columns can be 

 obruiueil of tlie imblislier o£ the Oolorist at 

 prices quoted. 



Birds through an Opera Glass, Florence 



A. Merriam. 



In Riverside Library tor Young- People. Illus- 

 trated. i6rao,, 7.5 cents. Boston: Houg:liton, 

 Mifflin &: Co. 1890. 



This work, written in a popular style, 

 is one of the most entertaining and 

 fascinating that has come to our notice. 



The author assures her readers in the 

 preface, that "the little book is no I'eal 

 lion" .and that "they have nothing ta 

 fear." She says: "It is not an orni- 

 thological treatise. It has not even the 

 lion's roar of technical terms and 

 descriptions to warn them. of raging 

 dullness, but is 'a very gentle beast, 

 and of a good conscience.'" 



Preceding the work lirqjjer are a few 



