PREFATORY NOTE 



I AM indebted to a number of friends for assistance and 

 advice in the preparation of this book. Mr. F. H. Allen, 

 Mr. William Brewster, Mr. Walter Faxon, and Dr. C. W. 

 Townsend have read either the entire manuscript or parts of 

 it, and have made valuable suggestions. Miss M. E. Blatch- 

 ford has also read the manuscript and given much helpful 

 advice. I am indebted to Mr. Gr. M. Allen for the advance 

 sheets of his " Birds of New Hampshire," which have 

 helped me on points of distribution. Mr. F. M. Chapman 

 has very kindly permitted me to use the dimensions given 

 in his " Birds of Eastern North America." I am indebted 

 to Mr. Brewster and to Mr. Walter Deane for the use of 

 skins in Mr. Brewster's collection, and to Dr. W. McM. 

 Woodworth for the use of skins in the Museum of Com- 

 parative Zoology. Mrs. Florence Merriam Bailey has kindly 

 permitted the use of cuts which have already appeared in 

 her " Birds of Village and Field." 



If this book proves helpful to others, it will pay, vica- 

 riously at least, a little of the great debt which I owe to Mr. 

 Walter Faxon, whose instruction and example have been an 

 invaluable guide and stimulus to me in the past. 



