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that I would like to see more people making good
records of what they see and do in the field, I
believe every youngster should be taught to draw and
mate notes, in the field. Because I have found that
until you draw a thing you never really see it. And
it does not matter how unprofessional the drawing is,
one's notebook should be full of drawings. And
later on or concurrently, some photographic work,
if useful; it is at least quicker than drawing but
by no means so rewarding. And I think that anybody
that does natural history as a profession should
pay more attention to their note writing. Of course
I know writing notes is a bind especially in the field
and that is where these miniature tape recorders are
coming in. I take all my note taking with a miniature
tape recorder and then when at home later on I trans-
cribe it. The act of transcription fixes it in one's
mind. And even if you keep a field notebook, later on,
preferably the sarae day, transcribe it into another
more permanent book.
Cowlin: Because you can than got things into a
proper order?
Masefield: Yes. You can change the order, make
modifications that Have corne to you as a second thought
and your book will become more valuable. And if it is
interspersed, with drawings and cuttings from news.
papers it vill grow into a really worthwhile record.
I have those books here and I have them upstairs
stacked, but I feel that I did not start making really
worthwhile notes until too late. It should be done
when you are very young to get Into the habit of it,
in the form of a diary, a natural history diary,
Cowlin: Well, thank you very much.
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