Introductory 



lives ; for where a bird's nest is, there is its home in the strictest 

 sense of the word. It is true that most birds are wanderers ; 

 they .go south shortly after the young are fully grown, to return 

 when the frost leaves the ground and the necessary supply of food 

 can be obtained. But during the migration the bird is seldom 

 resident for more than a few weeks in any one place ; he is rest- 

 less and only awaits the time when he may get back to his 

 nesting place of the previous year. Here, where he sings his 

 love-songs and sets up housekeeping, is surely his real home and 

 habitation. 



In reading over the works of well-known ornithologists it is 

 surprising to see how very little has been written about birds 

 during the breeding season. The time occupied in nest-building ; 

 the period of incubation ; the appearance and habits of the young 

 at different ages ; how long they remain in the nest, and so on — 

 these and the many other facts which give each species and each 

 bird family definite individuality, though they are of the utmost 

 interest, have been to a great extent ignored. It is difficult to 

 realise why this is. Of course it requires great patience and 

 plenty of time to get accurate data of this sort ; but there are 

 thousands of enthusiastic nature students, and particularly bird 

 students, nowadays, and the difficulties only make it all the more 

 important that every one who is really interested should endeavour 

 to add all possible information that may be of value. And right 

 here let me say that all original and authentic notes — and only 

 these — are valuable. 



Eggs of different birds of the same species, and indeed of the 

 same bird, vary greatly both in colour, markings, and size, yet it is 

 not at all necessary that every one should collect a large series to 

 show such variations. Such collections may be found in museums 

 when needed for comparison. Therefore 1 should say : Leave the 

 egg where it belongs — in the nest — and visit it frequently (using 

 all due caution against disturbing the owner even in this), making 

 notes of anything of interest you may happen to see. You will 

 be surprised at the number of things you will find that will prove 

 of real interest, and you will surely be glad after your first experi- 

 ment of this sort that you did not destroy the eggs, and with 

 them your opportunity of gaining such an insight into the do- 

 mestic life of Mrs. Robin Redbreast or Jenny Wren. 



Last summer, while walking through the woods, I found a 



5 



