239 



HOW TO MAKE FIELD NOTES. 



The Rev. E. A. Woodruffe Peacock has recentl}' issued an 

 interesting pamphlet entitled, ' The Art of Field Observation, 

 and Kome Note Making-,'"*^ in which he gives some useful hints, 

 which might profitably be acted upon, especially by young 

 naturalists. All northern naturalists know how readily Mr. 

 Peacock can produce particulars of his observations on almost 

 any branch of natural history. His pamphlet explains how it is 

 done. Much of it is occupied by particulars of plants and their 

 relation to soils, etc., which he has dealt with previously. His 

 concluding remarks, however, are so very useful that we have 

 pleasure in quoting them, and can recommend those interested 

 to read the lecture in full : — 



' The actual work of making proper notes is simple enough. 

 To use books of any kind for the purpose is not the best way. 

 The single page of ordinary note-paper is the easiest, and still 

 the most effective means yet discovered. It is used in this way. 

 We all have our favourite books, even when we get others, and 

 perhaps later works with fuller information. To mention a 

 few names — Bell's 'Quadrupeds,' Saunders' 'Manual of British 

 Birds,' and Adams' 'Collector's Manual of British Land and 

 Freshwater Shells,' are some of mine. You want to make a 

 note, we will say, about the Long-tailed Field Mouse (Mits 

 sylvaticus). 



'Take a half sheet of ordinary note-paper — which I keep 

 ready by me for the purpose cut by machinery — and write the 

 number of Bell's page, 293, in the left-hand corner. Follow in 

 the same line with the Latin or English name, or both if you 

 like. Underline these names, and in the right-hand corner add 

 the figure i, to signify that this is the first page devoted to this 

 species. Then make your notes, carefully recording place, date, 

 and fact, adding anything you consider important enough to 

 notice. In this printed reproduction of the sheets of my 

 Registers, the underlined parts are reproduced in italics. 

 293. Mus sylvaticus^ Long--tailed Field Mouse. i 



Bottesford, Lines. 7/11/1869. Dug- out nest. It had a side-bolt. Acorns, 

 nuts, and wheat were stored. 



The same. 19/1/1870. Dug- out nest in old Priory wall bank. Had 

 stored acorns, beech nuts, and barley from field below. 



Harringtoji, Northants. 8/7/1889. Young oaks spring-ing- up from 

 deserted winter store in field by Larkland Wood. Is this the way oak 

 woods extend? See also Squirrel and Rook Notes. 



*' Rural Studies Series,' No. 6. J. W. Goulding-, Louth, is. See 

 also 'Naturalist,' 1897, pp. 209-212. 

 1905 August I. 



