VERTEBRATES 141 



3. How do water birds differ from land birds; flesh- 

 eating birds from seed eaters ; insect-eating birds from 

 seed eaters ; shore and swamp birds from land birds ? 



Work in the Field 

 Materials. 



(i) Birds in the field, field or opera glasses, and bird 

 guides. (2) Some extra time, as field work is rather slow. 

 (3) Considerable energy, as birds rise early and may be 

 up and away before the usual hour for your appearance. 



Directions. 



The object of this work is to become acquainted with the 

 living bird, to learn not only its name, but also some of its 

 ways. You will need to spend time to do this, and as a 

 rule the more time you spend the more you will see. 

 Every time you go out after birds, record at the time every 

 kind of bird you see, so that at the end of the season you will 

 know not only when each kind of bird came, but also how 

 long it staid. When you see a new bird, record immedi- 

 ately its colors, markings, actions, notes, and anything else 

 which may help you later to identify it. Do not trust to 

 memory nor to the inspiration of the classroom. After 

 weeks of observation, write the following summary. 



Summary of the Results of Field Study of Birds 



1. Over what length of time have your observations ex- 

 tended .' Where have you studied .' What have you found 

 to be the best conditions for stud)dng birds.' How many 

 birds have you identified .' 



2. When in the year do birds migrate; when in the 

 twenty-four hours .' 



3. In spring migration which birds come first ; which 

 come last ? What reason is there for this order ? 



