BIRDS 



23s 



usually death for the bird. Recently there have been 

 published several bird-keys which attempt to make it pos- 

 sible to determine species, the commoner ones at any rate, 

 by examination of the living bird in the trees by means 

 of an opera-glass, or often with the unaided eye. Chap- 

 man's " Bird-Life "is an example of the better sort of 

 these books. From this the following is quoted: 



Fig. 192. 



-Western robin, Mcriila uiigratoria propinqua. (Photograph 

 from life by Eliz. and Jos. Grinnell.) 



" We come now to the practical question of identifica- 

 tion. How are we to find birds, and having found them, 

 how are we to learn their names .'' 



" From April to August there is probably not a min- 

 ute of the day when in a favorable locality one cannot 

 see or hear birds ; and there is not a day in the year when 

 at least some birds cannot be found. In the beginning, 



