376 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



birds themselves. His Ycllozi'stone Nature Book ('24) also shows 

 skillful treatment applied to the general natural history of 

 the Park. We are deliberately experimenting, as I have 

 said, with several methods of approach in these popular guides. 

 Birds are particularly adapted for such experiments on account of 

 the widespread popular interest in tliem. There is an active, stren- 

 uous type of person who gets his pleasure while on the way, in 

 pursuit of the birds. The e3-e-minded and the ear-minded student, 

 each makes best progress by a different approach. Then there is 

 also the contemplative attitude, the aesthetic as well as that of the 

 understanding, so beautifully blended in Muir. Of course there are 

 those who feel that we should ignore such differences in persons, 

 but that is dodging the problem instead of solving it. These ten- 

 dencies are by no means limited to bird study, for they are of 

 general application. The papers in this number of the Bulletin by 

 Heller '('25) and ]\Iuttkowski ('25) are examples of similar popu- 

 lar accounts of fish and mammals in the Yellowstone. Nor does the 

 plea for economy in publications hold, because it is one of the first 

 obligations to adapt our park methods to a large public, and par- 

 ticularly to that kind of public which will best appreciate the parks. 

 Experiments are also needed on guide booklets to the natural his- 

 tory of trails. These booklets must be the result of outdoor study 

 and should be made to fit special trails and localities. The whole 

 technique of laying out these trails is a virgin field awaiting detailed 

 investigation. A special knowledge of natural history, particularly 

 of ecolog}', is one of the essentials for such Avork. The marking 

 of the trail must be expanded to include an intelligent labeling of 

 what can be seen along it. This work must not be overdone and 

 thus disfigure the trails, but the labeling of noteworthy geologic 

 and geographic features, plant colonies, striking individual trees, and 

 the haunts of certain animals, will have a wonderful influence in 

 stimulating a healthy and intelligent interest in outdoor nature. Wild 

 life interests will fit into such a program beautifully, but as you will 

 see. it will be useless to urge this for wild life alone, as these 

 various outdoor interests are all bound up so closely that all 

 will best progress together. 



Lectures, Excursions and Nature Guides. — Oral leadership in 

 the form of lectures, conducted field excursions, and guides, has 

 already made a beginning in some of our parks. Lectures have 

 easily led becau.'^e speakers have been easier to secure than the 

 various kinds of leaders needed for field parties and because larger 

 numbers can be accommodated. Bv all means these lectures should 



