bars, a ring about his eye, a thin bill or a thick one, pink legs or 
brown, arediris ora black, anda tail square at the end or forked. 
In observing birds, it is well to remember a few points: 
Go out early in the day, if possible, at least before ten 
o’clock; keep the sun at your back in looking at a bird; make 
all movements very slowly (I do not think the voice alarms 
them nearly so much as a quick motion); when approaching 
a shy bird act as if you meant to walk to one side of him, not 
directly toward him; either go alone or have only one other 
person with you; go to places which have both trees, thickets, 
open fields and woods, and if possible a stream or swamp near 
by; wear inconspicuous clothes; try to do most of your observ- 
ing before the foliage and the mosquitoes get too thick; 
and listen quite as much as you look. 
I think you will not have followed this pursuit many 
years before your ideal of a blissful day will be like mine — 
a holiday spent chiefly out of doors. A halcyon day in May, 
for example, when you hear the robin begin his early warble 
as the sun rises, when you wander through the woods rejoic- 
ing in the gorgeous color of a scarlet tanager as he flashes 
by you, or listening to the flowing notes of the purple finch; 
when you lie on the grass in some sunny meadow, lulled 
by the pipe of a field sparrow rising on the still, warm air; 
and return home at sunset, as the wood thrush chants his 
glorious evening hymn. The dusk gathers and as the soft 
spring night closes around you, you hear the mysterious call 
of the whippoor-will from a deep ravine, and down in the 
bottom of your heart you thank God you are alive. 
