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AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Address communications for this department to 



Meg Merrythought, 156 Waterville Street, 

 Waterbury, Ct. 



My Dear Young Folks: 



With what thrills of delight every bird lover — whether beginner 

 or veteran in bird lore — welcomes the May procession of feathered 

 migrants. The U. S. Dep't of Agriculture sends out schedules contain- 

 ing seven columns to be filled with bird notes during the spring and 

 fall migration. 



Sally Orvis sends us a sample page from her note-book which 

 shows good arrangement ; the first columm contains the name of the 

 bird and the date of the arrival ; the second, if male or female ; the 

 third, the song; the fourth, the call; the fifth, the habitat; the sixth, 

 the season ; the seventh, page of reference book. Something of this 

 kind is what was meant by "Lists for 1903" in the March number. 

 Francis Root thinks that "Ohio ought to have a chance to get to the 

 high water mark," so he sends a list of 116 birds which he saw about 

 Oberlin, O., in 1902. David Harrower, of Swarthmore, Pa., gives a 

 list of 110 birds, and Richard M. Hunt reports from Winchester, Mass., 

 133, but his list is not confined to one year. So thu«: far Ohio wins 

 the honors from Mass. by two birds only, though I am confident 

 that our New England boys will use their eyes to such good advantage 

 that the close of 1903 will find them again the leaders. I am sure 

 that you will all agree that Clarence Abbott's way of studying birds 

 is an ideal one, and would surely decide the question asked by Chas. 

 De Garis. 



Just a word as I close about your letters. We receive many which 

 are extremely interesting, but which are so long that we cannot find 

 space in our pages for them. It is pleasing to know that such a 

 company of boys and girls all over our country are enjoying the birds 

 and American Ornithology. Cordially your friend, 



Meg Merrythought. 



