FOREWORD 



In this work, which deals with the song birds of the 

 States bordering the Western Coast and, to a lesser 

 degree, the interior Western States, I have followed the 

 American Ornithological Union (A. 0. U.) Check-List 

 assisted by Joseph Grinnell's "A Distributional List of 

 the Birds of California," for the scientific names and 

 habitats of the various species, and while I have tried to 

 make it scientifically correct, it is my wish to have the 

 information herein contained so plain and simple that 

 the most unscientific of readers may enjoy and become 

 more familiar with our feathered wild life. 



In dealing with the various bird families, where there 

 are especial characteristics that would help the bird 

 student, I have prefaced the descriptions of the species 

 considered with helpful general remarks. 



Also, in several cases, I have described an eastern 

 bird, especially when that bird was very well known and 

 is the type of the species, while the western form is a 

 subspecies. This I feel will be helpful to western tour- 

 ists, as well as of interest to all bird students and lovers. 



When the female and yoimg of a species being de- 

 scribed are not mentioned in the description, it may be 

 understood that the resemblance to the male is so 

 marked as to be unmistakable. 



Having been a careful student of bird life for many 

 years I have gained much valuable first-hand knowledge. 

 This I have supplemented with information from the 

 writings of the best authorities both East and West. 



