WHAT BIRDS YOU WANT. 27 
caught by the early bird; nevertheless I go shooting betimes in 
the morning, and would walk all night to find arare bird at day- 
light. e¢. Weather. It rarely occurs in this country that either 
heat or cold is unendurably severe; but extremes of tempera- 
ture are unfavorable, for two reasons: they both occasion great 
personal discomfort ; and in one extreme only a few hardy birds 
will be found, while in the other, most birds are languid, dis- 
posed to seek shelter, and therefore less likely to be found. 
A still, cloudy day of moderate temperature offers as a rule the 
best chance ; among other reasons, there is no sun to blind the 
eyes, as always occurs on a bright day in one direction, partic- 
ularly when the sun is low. While a bright day has its good 
influence in setting many birds astir, some others are most 
easily approached in heavy or falling weather. Some kinds 
are more likely to be secured during a light snowfall, or after 
astorm. Singular as it may seem, a thoroughly wet day offers 
some peculiar inducements to the collector. I cannot well 
specify them, but I heartily endorse a remark John Cassin 
once made to me :—‘‘T like,” said he, ‘ to go shooting in the 
rain sometimes; there are some curious things to be learned 
about birds when the trees are dripping, things too that have 
not yet found their way into the books.” 
§17. How MANY BIRDS OF THE SAME KIND DO YOU WANT? 
— All you can get —with some reasonable limitations ; say fifty 
or a hundred of any but the most abundant and widely diffused 
species. You may often be provoked with your friend for 
speaking of some bird he shot, but did not bring you, because, 
he says, ‘‘ Why, you've got one like that!” This is just as 
reasonable as to suppose that because you have got one dollar 
you would not like to have another dollar. Birdskins are 
capital; capital unemployed may be useless but can never be 
worthless. Birdskins are a medium of exchange among orni- 
thologists the world over; they represent value — money value 
and scientific value. If you have more of one kind than you 
can use exchange with some one for species you lack; both 
parties to the transaction are equally benefited. Let me bring 
al 
