Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/224

 How to Study a Bird

By ERNEST THOMPSON SETDN

DEFINITE plan is so helpful, that long ago I devised a formal

scheme of bird study. This was published in 1887, and again. in

1899. in ‘The Osprey.’ but it has been so much modiﬁed since that Iventure to bring it again to the notice of bird students I have always felt that the "real history of a bird is its life history The deepest inter- est attaches to everything that reveals the little mind, however feehly it may be developed, which lies behind the feathers” So says the celebrated Eng- lish ornithologist, Seebohm, and I am very sure that there is no lack of bird-lovers to re-echo the sentiment. The first two questions about a new bird—“What do you call it?” and "Where did you get it?"—are of very great importance, and of such a nature that they insist on first notice; but, having settled them. as we now have, suﬁiciently for the purposes of the ordinary observer in eastern America. we are brought face to face with what is, after all, of chief interest, the great question of the "little mind."

I am satisﬁed that a harvest of profit and pleasure awaits any one who will try to ﬁll out this schedule for any one bird; taking. preferably, the one he knows best and adding to his own information all that he can gather from outside sources.

In the present schedule I have purposely omitted the anatomical studies that were prominent in the original. This is not done because I think less of anatomical studies and of collectors' work than formerly, I still believe that one important fact is worth many small birds, but the time has gone by when adequate good can result from ordinary collecting in well-known regions. The experts of our museums are the only ones who should be allowed to collect bird-skins today. It is safe to say they will not abuse the privilege. Knowing the value of birds, as they do. better than any other class of men, they are not likely to take the life of a Sparrow, even, without a very sufﬁcient justiﬁcation.

The headings and questions here given are limited by the knowledge