PRKFAC'E. V 



j»*ct of hotli rultivatiiii:" ;ni(l directing- tln' sludciit's 

 jiitwcrs of observation. In oi'dci-, liowcvcr, to give 

 liiin some idea of tlie Idid's place in Nature, the sub- 

 jects of r('lati()]islii[)s and dassilication have been 

 tone lied (.n In-iclly. Tlicn follow a series of objec- 

 tive, seasonal lessons which are the main feature of 

 the ]>ook. The advantaires of stndyin*^- bii'ds under 

 seasonal n'l'oupinLis are two-fold. Kii'st, l)y elinii- 

 nating s])ecies wiiich are absent, it greatly siniplities 

 the ijuestion of ich'ntitication. Second, it is more 

 real. If the stud<'nt can be told that a certain spe- 

 cies will doid)tless arrive from the south the same 

 day on Avliich lie is reading- al)out it, liis interest in 

 the sul)ject will be at once increased ; it l)ecomes a 

 matter of contemporary liistoiy. Fui'thermoi'e, by 

 studying- the birds with the seasons, Ave learn in the 

 beginning- to ]troperly associate them with certain 

 accompanying- natural phenomena, and their com- 

 ings and goings become significant events in our 

 calendar. 



As we become familiar with birds, and learn to 

 recognize them, tlie question of identity will no 

 longer remain a bai' to our better ac(|uaintance, and 

 our interest in them will deepen. AVe shall begin 

 to in(juii"e into the (piestions of form and halnt, 

 color, migration, song, nesting, etc.; and as a guide 

 to obsei'vations of this character, there are given a 

 series of le.s.sons treating of the ])hiloso[)liic or sul)- 

 jectiv(» side of bird-study, the wide scopc^ of which 

 will br readily appreciated. 



V. M. (". 



Ami;ri(ax .MisKiM or Natikai. IIimoicv 



