ave fallen."

_Reporting Blanks._--A convenient booklet of reporting blanks and
directions for using them is issued by the National Association of
Audubon Societies, New York City. This is very useful in recording
descriptions of birds. (See sample, page 13.) The blanks may be sent
to the office of the National Association and the species described
will be named.

[Illustration: Sample page of reporting-blank]

Bird Books.--There are a number of inexpensive {14} books which contain
illustrations of birds in natural colours. One of these will be of the
greatest aid to the beginner in bird study. Among the most useful are
the Reed's, "Bird Guides," one covering the birds of the eastern and
the other those of the western part of the United States. The pictures
alone will be of great use in learning the names of feathered
neighbours, while an intelligent study of the text will reveal the
identity of many others.

Local lists of such birds as are found in a neighbourhood, or a county,
are always a great aid in determining, with a fair degree of accuracy,
just what species may or may not be expected to appear in a given
locality. Such lists are usually first published in _The Auk_, _The
Condor_, or other ornithological publications, and in many cases are
printed and distributed later as separate pamphlets.

There have been published also many State lists of birds, usually
accompanied by detailed information regarding abundance and
distribution of all the species known to occur in the State. Every
bird {15} student should, if possible, get a copy of his own State bird
book. Any reader who may wish to learn if such a list of the birds of
his neighbourhood or State has been published is at liberty to address
the question to the author of this book.

_Movements of Birds._--One does not get very far in the work of bird
study without discovering that certain movements are characteristic of
various families; and when the observer is able to recognize this
difference in manner a long step has been taken in acquiring the power
of identifying species.

After watching for a time the actions of a Downy Woodpecker as it
clings to the side of a tree, or hops along its bark, one is quick to
recognize the Woodpecker _manner_ when some other species of that
family is encountered. Recalling the ceaseless activities of a Yellow
Warbler the observer feels, without quite knowing why, that he has
discovered another Warbler of s