HOW TO KNOW THE BIRDS 51 



of Eastern North America." This contains a de- 

 tailed description of all the birds of eastern North 

 America, and about one hundred pages of reading 

 matter about bird habits. This costs three dollars 

 and a half. Another helpful book for identification 

 is Ralph Hoffmann's "Guide to the Birds of New 

 England and Eastern New York." 



Provided with these books one may hope to 

 name most of the common birds. These and other 

 bird books may be obtained through bookstores or 

 through the National Association of Audubon So- 

 cieties, 1974 Broadway, New York City. 



If one has access to a museum with a collection of 

 birds, the study of the specimens there will be a great 

 help in identifying the birds found in the field, but 

 pictures may serve as a satisfactory substitute. 

 Separate colored plates of birds may be obtained of 

 the Association of Audubon Societies, just men- 

 tioned, at two cents each. The pictures of about 

 ninety birds have been issued so far and new ones 

 are being made each year. 



A pair of opera- or field-glasses is a wonderful help 

 to bird-study. Some birds are easily frightened, and 

 often it is not possible to approach near enough to 

 see them distinctly without glasses. Many of our 

 common birds have become accustomed to man and 

 allow one to approach them closely, but glasses add 

 much pleasure to bird-study and render it much 

 more effective and satisfactory. A very good glass, 



