COLLECTING. 2J 



Although the foregoing list gives the locality in 

 which a given species may be found, as a rule, it 

 is always well to bear in mind that birds have 

 wings, and by the use of them may stray into 

 unaccustomed localities far distant from their 

 usual habitance. For example, a burrowing owl 

 was shot on the marshes of Newburyport, and a 

 petrel, which has hitherto been known to science 

 through a single specimen which was taken many 

 years ago in the southern hemisphere, was picked 

 up, in an exhausted condition, in a ploughed field 

 of the interior of New York. The young collector 

 then should ever be on the alert, keeping well in 

 mind the fact that the art which he is pursuing 

 is not lightly learned. I have frequently heard 

 the inexperienced remark that he could easily kill 

 a hundred birds in a day ; and although this might 

 be true on certain occasions, — for I have seen over 

 this number killed by one person in two dis- 

 charges of a gun, — yet, as a rule, a good collector 

 will seldom bring in over fifty birds during his 

 best days. A man must not only be experienced, 

 but will be obliged to work hard in order to 

 average twenty-five birds in a day. Although 

 there are some " born " collectors who will 

 procure birds, even if they be provided with no 



