Page:Bird-lore Vol 01.djvu/420

A Christmas Bird -Census IT is not many years ago that sportsmen were accustomed to meet on Christmas Day, 'choose sides,' and then, as representatives of the two bands resulting, hie them to the fields and woods on the cheerful mission of killing practically everything in fur or feathers that crossed their path — if the}' could. These exceptional opportunities for winning the laurels of the chase were termed 'side hunts,' and reports of the hundreds of non- game birds which were sometimes slaughtered during a single hunt were often published in our leading sportsmen's journals, with perhaps a word of editorial commendation for the winning side. We are not certain that the side hunt is wholly a thing of the past, but we feel assured that no reputable sportsman's journal of today would venture to publish an account of one, unless it were to condemn it ; and this very radical change of tone is one of the significant signs of the times. Now Bird-Lore proposes a new kind of Christmas side hunt, in the form of a Christmas bird-census, and we hope that all our read- ers who have the opportunity will aid us in making it a success by spending a portion of Christmas Day with the birds and sending a report of their 'hunt' to Bird-Lore before they retire that night. Such reports should be headed by the locality, hour of starting and of returning, character of the weather, direction and force of the wind, and the temperature ; the latter taken when starting. The birds observed should then be added, following the order in which they are given in the A. O. U. 'Check List,' with, if possible, the exact or approximate number of individuals of each species observed. Promptness in sending these lists to Bird-Lore (at Englewood, N. J.) is urged in order that the best of them may be published in our February number, where they will be not only of interest to other participants in the 'hunt,' but will also constitute, in a measure, a census of Christmas bird-life. (192)