THE BIRD STUDY BOOK 



have always insisted on pupils cultivating the note- 

 bcx)k habit, and results have well justified this 

 course. 



In making notes on a bird that you do not know it 

 is well to state the size by comparing it with some 

 bird you know, as, for example, "smaller than an 

 EngHsh Sparrow," " about the size of a Robin," and 

 so on. Try to determine the true colours of the birds 

 and record these. Also note the shape and approxi- 

 mate length of the bill. This, for example, may be 

 short and conical like a Canary's, awl-shaped like the 

 bill of a Warbler, or very long and slender like that of 

 a Snipe. By failing to observe these simple rules the 

 learner may be in despair when he tries to find out 

 the name of his strange bird by examining a bird 

 book, or may cause some kindly friend an equal 

 amount of annoyance. 



As a further aid to subsequent identification it is 



well to record the place where the bird was seen, for 



example: "hopping up the side of a tree," "wading 



in a marsh," "circling about in the air," or "feeding 



[10] 



