during their brief sojourn in city parks;

Vireos are most at home on the boughs of trees and sing freely as they glide in and out among the leaves to feed.

Female birds can usually be identified after the adult males have been seen, although the females and young of many species are obscurely marked or quite different from the adult males, a fact especially true of the warblers. Immature birds are not considered in the present scheme of study since they are a source of confusion to the beginner and occur in any considerable number only during the fall migration.

The time of arrival, that is, when a bird may be expected during the migration, is a point worthy of particular attention. Many wild guesses may be avoided by simply noticing the dates when a bird has been known to arrive in any given locality from year to year.

As a rule birds are identified by the method of elimination. Suppose, for example, a small bird of lively motions is seen feeding among the twigs of a tree late in March. It is, of course, neither a warbler nor a vireo for these birds, although active and frequenting trees, arrive much later in the spring. Provided it does not brace its tail and climb up and around the trunk of the tree it is not likely to be a woodpecker, because the motions of woodpeckers are too characteristic to be mistaken. In similar manner, although sparrows and juncos may have arrived, it is probably neither of these since it does not feed upon the ground, while its size precludes the possibility of its being any bird larger than the English Sparrow. There are only a few birds therefore, which it might be and close observation together with the aid of a few leading hints, will usually settle the question. In any case watch the bird for it is better to look at the bird than at a printed description of it.

The safest way, however, is to make careful notes about a stranger on the spot. Memory is never more treacherous than in the case of the description of a doubtful bird when one appeals to some book of reference, a museum collection or the judgment of others. It is not advisable to attempt extensive “field-notes” at first but it is essential to keep a daily, dated list of all identified birds. A blank chart for this purpose is inserted in the back part of the book.

Never chase birds. Have patience, stand still a great deal and use your common sense all the time.

Do not make yourself believe that you see a certain bird because it has been reported by others. Do your own looking and listening and do it well.

If you cannot go birding alone take along as few friends as possible because birds are suspicious of human beings in flocks, especially when they talk much.

A pair of field or opera-glasses is an invaluable aid, although practice is necessary in learning to adjust them rapidly and to fix them instantly upon the bird. Do not feel obliged to use the glasses when you are near enough to see well without them.

Keep the sun at your back, otherwise colors will deceive you.

Remember that birds do not stay “indoors” on account of rain, clouds or unfavorable weather. Warm spring rains literally fill the parks with feathered travelers who often tarry but a day.

Particular Hints.

Note:—The following one hundred and fourteen birds are arranged in the order of their average first appearance in Lincoln Park, based upon observations made during the last seven years.

For the convenience of those desiring access to reliable sources of information, the scientific name of each bird is placed in parenthesis below its common name, followed by its number in the official list of the American Ornithologist’s Union.

Following the hints given about each bird are the names (in black faced type) of any bird or birds for which it might easily be mistaken.

1. BLUE JAY. 11-1/2 in.

(Cyanocitta cristata. 477.)

Black collar; crested; wings and tail deep blue, white-tipped and black-barred; bold; harsh, noisy call-note; stays the year around in Lincoln Park. Loggerhead Shrike. Kingfisher. Bluebird.

2. LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 9 in.

(Lanius ludovicianus. 622.)

Slaty-gray; commonly white beneath, not marked with dark transverse lines; wings and tail black, marked with white; hooked bill; bar through the eye and over forehead, black; imitates notes of other birds. Blue Jay.

3. ROBIN. 10 in.

(Merula migratoria. 761.)

Dark slate color; black head; yellow bill; throat white streaked with black; underparts bright chestnut red; sings “cheer-i-ly, cheer-i-ly, cheer-up;” nests in Lincoln Park. Towhee.

4. JUNCO. 6-1/4 in.

(Junco hiemalis. 567.)

Slate color; blackish bib (female brownish) over a white belly; ivory bill, two white tail-feathers; feeds in flocks on ground, often in company with other birds; “sucks its teeth” for a call-note; song, a melodious trill.

5. MEADOWLARK. 10-1/2 in.

(Sturnella magna. 501.)

Streaked; black crescent on a bright yellow breast; outer tail-feathers white; flies straight, hovering as it reaches the ground; noteworthy song. Flicker. Dickcissel.

6. CROW. 19 in.

(Corvus americanus. 488.)

Entirely black, including bill and feet; often seen in flocks; wings appear frayed and ragged in flight; note, a lusty “caw.” Bronzed Grackle.

7. BLUEBIRD. 6-1/2 in.

(Sialia sialis. 766.)

Sky-blue; brownish-red below; usually in pairs; sometimes nests in Lincoln Park; call, “pu-ri-ty, pu-ri-ty;” often heard before seen. Blue Jay.

8. SAVANNA SPARROW. 5-1/4 in.

(Passerculus sandwichensis savanna. 542a.)

Much streaked above and below; line over eye and edge of wing, yellowish; cheek sometimes suffused with yellow tinge; tail short, feathers pointed; movements stealthy; song, a weak trill. public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@33125@[email protected]#p50"