254 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



many miles, and nearly always acquires a more intimate acquaintance 

 with the birds he has seen. Furthermore, walking out of doors, 

 especially with a definite object in view, is the best of healthful 

 exercises. 



The number of birds seen on a trip is usually in inverse ratio 

 to the number of persons in the party. If too many wish to go 

 on a trip it is better to divide into two or more small groups, going 

 by different routes. A person will see the most birds when alone, 

 although in some cases two pairs of eyes or ears are better than 

 one. Quick motions, loud conversation or laughter, and sudden 

 exclamations, all tend to keep the birds away from the party and 

 lessen the opportunity to use one's eyes and ears to locate them. 



A field glass of some sort is almost indispensable in observing 

 birds, particularly for the beginner. The glass brings out the slight 

 details of shape or plumage that are so necessary in making the 

 more difficult identifications. An opera glass is good, but a glass 

 of higher power is better. Most observers prefer, for ordinary field 

 work, a prism glass of six or eight diameters. Higher power than 

 this can be used for water birds along a seacoast or large lake, but 

 ordinarily is not necessary. The higher the power the more difficult 

 it is to hold the glass steadily on the object in view. For this 

 reason many prefer six diameter glasses to eight. 



One who wishes to do serious work should have a note-book for 

 descriptions of new birds to be written on the spot. Not only 

 descriptions, but notes on habits, song, associations and other facts 

 will prove interesting and valuable, and most pleasant winter reading 

 withal. One should never neglect a given species of bird because he 

 already has seen it satisfactorily and has its name on his list. The 

 test is not how many birds you have seen, but how many birds you 

 know intimately. The possibilities of observing something new 

 about even our commonest birds are never exhausted. And with 

 each returning spring there is ever fresh interest in even the plainest 

 birds and the most familiar songs. 



In Allegany Park the birds are to be found almost anywhere. 

 Wherever natural conditions have not been greatly changed this is 

 especially true. As a rule birds are more abundant near water than 

 on high ridges at a long distance from streams or lakes ; and in 

 general, are more frequently met with in the open or about the edges 

 of forests than in the midst of dense woods. Areas near civilization 

 where too much underbrush has been removed, park-like groves of 

 trees without shrubbery, will never have many birds. Except for 

 these general rules there are no special places where birds abound 

 in preference to all other localities, but one should find birds almost 

 anywhere that he looks for them. Local weather conditions or local 

 abundance of food supply may cause birds to congregate in one 

 locality for a day or two, but these conditions do not last, and cannot 

 certainly be foretold. 



A knowledge of localities, however, will help us to find certain 

 species that we wish to see. These may have decided preferences as to 

 habitat, governed by either the character of their food or of their 



