FOREWORD 



contains famous Habitat Groups with beautiful back- 

 grounds, painted by distinguished bird-artists. 



Scientists have studied the anatomy of birds, their eggs, 

 their nests, and nestlings; an army of field-men have been 

 recording observations on migration, on the molt of birds, 

 their songs and call-notes, their food habits, especially 

 with relation to their economic importance. The work 

 of the Biological Survey in the Department of Agriculture 

 at Washington has been of incalculable value; the ex- 

 amination of the contents of birds' stomachs has given in- 

 disputable evidence of the relation the different species 

 bear to insect-life and thus to vegetation. The bulletins 

 published by the Department and the leaflets issued by the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies have been 

 enormous factors in the preservation of bird-life in the 

 United States. 



Dr. A. K. Fisher, Professor F. E. L. Beal, Dr. Sylvester 

 D. Judd, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Dr. Henry W. Henshaw, 

 Dr. E. W. Nelson, Dr. T. S. Palmer, and Dr. Wells T. 

 Cooke have done work of special distinction in the Biologi- 

 cal Survey, Mr. William Brewster and Mr. E. H. Forbush 

 in Massachusetts, and Dr. Frank Qiapman in New York. 



To Dr. Fisher I am especially indebted for the right 

 to incorporate into this book extracts from the bulletins 

 of the Biological Survey, and to Mr. Forbush for per- 

 mission to quote from his admirable book "Useful Birds 

 and Their Protection." 



It has been my purpose to give, not only a portrait 

 and a description of the birds I have chosen for this 

 volume, but a summing up of the beneficial and injurious 

 habits of each, gained from the highest authorities ob- 

 tainable. The book is intended for beginners, or for those 



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