232 Bird - Lore 
Maryland Yellow-throat, Catbird, Brown Thrasher, House Wren, Short- 
billed Marsh Wren, Robin and Bluebird. The nests of twenty of these have 
been built in the dooryard, all but two of them being within seventy-five feet 
of the house. Recently a Catbird’s nest was built just two feet from the win- 
dow-pane of a window whose outside blinds are usually closed. Through 
these one could watch the nest activities, and it is surprising to note in how 
many respects these differed from those of the Catbirds that nested beside 
the same window four years ago. One year a Pheebe built her nest under the 
porch, in a situation that could be watched from four rooms; this had its 
advantages, but far greater were those of the oft-occupied Phoebe’s nest in 
the barn, that could be viewed at close range through a peep-hole in the floor 
just above it. In like manner, at a distance of no more than two feet from 
the eye, has been studied the nest-life of the Screech Owl, Flicker and House 
Wren, all of which have had nests in the barn. 
In the near-by woods, that are always alluring, it is possible to spend 
occasionally a delightful day; but the more distant fields, that are constantly 
inviting, must be declined; while the birds upon one acre continue to furnish 
more chapters for study than it is possible to master. 
Bird-Lore’s Eleventh Christmas Bird Census 
Day, or as near that date as circumstances will permit. 
Reference to the February, 1901-1910, numbers of Brrp-Lore will 
acquaint one with the nature of the report of the day’s hunt which we desire; 
but to those to whom none of those issues is available, we may explain that 
such reports should be headed by a brief statement of the character of the 
weather, whether clear, cloudy, rainy, 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 zmdividuals of each species recorded. A 
record should read, therefore, somewhat as follows: 
one: annual bird census will be taken as usual on Christmas 
Yonkers, N.Y. 8 A.m. to 12m. Clear, ground bare; wind west, light; temp., 38°. 
Herring Gull, 75. Total, — species, — individuals——JAmMEs GATEs. 
These records will be published in the February issue of Brrp-Lore, and 
it is particularly requested that they be sent the editor (at the American 
Museum of Natural History, New York City) not later than December 28. 
Tt will save the editor much clerical labor if the model here given and the order 
of the A. O. U. Check-List be closely followed. 
