THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



129 



It is desirable also to indicate the rela- 

 tive abundance of the diiferent species, the 

 terms to be employed for this purpose be- 

 ing: Abundant, Common, Tolerably Com- 

 mon, Rare. 



In many species the males arrive in ad- 

 vance of the females, hence it is important 

 to note the sex of the first comers, and the 

 date at which the opposite sex is first seen. 



In recording arrivals and departures it is 

 highly important to distinguish between 

 the movements of the great bulk of the 

 species and those ol the forerunners or ad- 

 vance guard. For this purpose two dates 

 should be recorded for the incoming, and 

 two for the outgoing of every non-resident 

 species, as follows: 



1. The first' appearance of the species 

 (F). 



2. The arrival of the bulk (EA). 



3. The departure of the bulk (BD). 



4. The last individual seen (L). 



In addition to the above, which may be 

 regarded as essential data, there are many 

 other noteworthy details that bear more or 

 less directly upon the complicated prob- 

 lems involved in the study of migration. 

 Among such may be mentioned the bodily 

 condition of the bird (whether fat or lean), 

 the moult, and the periods of song. The 

 time of mating, when observed, should al- 

 ways be recorded. 



{b) Meteorological Phenomena. 



Extended meteorological data are not re- 

 quired, though the observer would derive 

 material assistance from a systematic 

 weather record. The committee desires 

 information upon: 



1. The direction and force of the wind. 



3. The direction, character and dura- 

 tion of storms. 



3. The general conditions of the atmos- 

 phere, including rainfall. 



4. The succession of marked warm and 

 cold waves; including a record of all sud- 

 den changes of temperature. 



(c) Contemporary and Correlative Phe- 

 nomena. 

 The committee desires that the data under 

 tliis head be as full and complete as possi- 



ble, and requests exact information upon : 



1. The date at which the lirst toad is 

 seen. 



2. The date at which the first frog is 

 heard. 



3. The date at which the first tree-toad 

 or "peeper" is heard. 



4. The dates at which certain mammals 

 and reptiles enter vipon and emerge from 

 the state of hibernation. 



5. The dates at which various insects 

 are first seen. 



6. The dates of tlie flowering of various 

 plants. 



7. The dates of the leafing and falling 

 of the leaves of various trees and shrubs. 



8. The dates of the breaking up and 

 disappearance of the ice in rivers and lakes 

 in spring, and of the freezing over of the 

 same in the fall. 



Not long since we received the above cir- 

 cular from G. Hart Merriam, M. D., of Lo- 

 cust Grove, Lewis Co., N.Y., who is chair- 

 man of the Committee on Migration. We 

 trust that our readers will carefully con- 

 sider the subject matter of this circular. 

 Write to the superintendent of the district 

 in which you reside and he will add your 

 name to the large list of stations already 

 established, and will expect to hear good 

 and favorable reports from you. Do not 

 disappoint him, but procure a note-book, 

 several if necessary, for the purpose and 

 keep a correct and minute record of the 

 bird happenings in your locality. You 

 will find your task far from being an un- 

 pleasant one nnd your notes will be of no 

 small value to this body of scientific men. 

 We know that if the readers of The 

 Young Oologist take hold of this work 

 with the zeal so characteristic in most of 

 their undertakings, many hundred new 

 stations will be established during the com- 

 ing season, and we propose, should we be 

 enabled to enlarge The Young Oologist, 

 to have several pages devoted to the re- 

 ports of these stations. The "agents" can 

 send their reports to us, we will print them 

 in good shape and send a copj^ of our mag- 

 azine to the superintendent of eacli district 



