Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/89

 62 Bird - Lore

Our proposed study of the Warblers, then, may follow somewhat the lines just suggested. Stated more fully, it is requested that each bird on which a report is made be treated as follows:

Name pf the Spain—Give the Al O. U, common and scientiﬁc names and any local name in current use.

Lam] Statusi—Deﬁne the bird's manner of occurrence, whether sum- mer resident, transient visitant, etc. ; whether rare, common. or abundant, etc.

Aligraﬁam—Give the time of arrival in the spring from the South, the difference. if any, in the arrival of the sexes; the date when the species attains its greatest numbers; if a transient or winter visitant; the date when last observed. Give the date of departure of summer residents, of arrival and departure of transients and winter residents from the North. (See BlRD—LORE, III, 1901,p.27.)

Sang.—-Describe call-notes and song, and any especial signiﬁcance (e.g., in courtship or as a means of communication) which may in your opinion be attributed to them; any sexual difference in call-notes; whether female is heard to sing; duration of song period; giving earliest and latest dates when species is heard to sing; has it a second or fall song period; give station usually chosen for delivery of song,—ground, tree, etc.; is there a ﬂight song? any seasonal variation in song? (See BIRD-LURE, III, p. 28; V, p. 56.)

Caur!5/1ip.—Under this head note any obvious attempt by the male to win the attention of the female through display of plumage or of vocal powers.

HauntL—Describe the character of the locality in which the species is found most commonly. Is there any seasonal variation in haunts?

T/Je Netting Site.~Give exact location of site or sites in which nests have been seen. Does either sex select the site? Is the same site ever used again for a second brood or in a subsequent year? (See BIRD-LORE, V, p. 57‘)

Th: NHL—Describe materials and shape; is it built by female or male, or both? Give time occupied in construction; date when ﬁnished.

The EggL—How long after the nest is completed is the ﬁrst egg laid; when is the set completed? How many eggs does it contain? When does incubation begin; how long does it continue? Is it performed by the female alone? If by both Sexes, is there any regularity in their daily periods of sitting? Is the Sitting bird ever fed while on the nest?

TIN Young—What is the appearance of the young at birth? If blind, when do the eyes open? How long after hatching before the young birds are fed? How are they fed? What is the nature of their food? Does the food or manner of feeding change as the birds grow older? About how often are the young birds fed at a given age? How is the nest kept in a sanitary condition? At what age do the young have the nest: do they ever return