Page:Bird-lore Vol 03.djvu/121

 io6 Bird-Lore What Bird is This ? Field Description. — Length, 5.00 in. Upper parts olive-^reen, streaked with black, rump brighter; crown blackish, ear-coverts chestnut ; a large white patch on the wing coverts; under parts yellow, streaked with black; outer tail feathers with white patches. Note. — Each number of Bird-Lore will contain a photograph, from specimens in the American Museum of Natural History, of some widely-distributed, but, in the eastern United States, at least, little-known bird, the name of which will be withheld until the succeeding number of the magazine, it being believed that this method of arousing the student's curiosity will result in impressing the bird's characters on his mind far more strongly than if its name were given with its picture. The species figured in April is the American Pipit or Titlark. A June Bird Census During June birds are more sedentary than in any other month. Domestic cares then prevent them from leaving the vicinity of their nests, and one may find the same individuals day after day. June, therefore, is the best season in which to make a census of the bird population of a given area, and we would suggest to those of Bird-Lore's readers who are so fortu- nate as to be afield in June, that much time could be profitably employed in ascertaining the numbers of birds living within certain limits in their neigh- borhood. Select an area about half a mile square containing, if possible, ground sufficiently varied in character to fairly represent the locality, and then explore it thoroughly, making a list of the species and numbers of indi- viduals seen. The ground should be gone over many times until the observer is assured that practically every bird living in it has been tabulated. The lists of birds secured should be arranged after the classification of the American Ornithologists' Union, and Bird-Lore will be glad to give space to those which seem worthy of publication.