PEEFACE. 



This volume has been written to fill a place hitherto vacant 

 in ornithological literature. The works of Wilson,^ Auclubon,^ 

 and Nuttall,^ are costlj^, and rarely' offered for sale, having 

 been in a great measure superseded by modern authors. The 

 recent and most complete work on American Ornithology,^ that 

 of Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, is also costly. Mr. 

 Samuels' book on the "Birds of New England and Adjacent 

 States " ^ has been thought too expensive to be within the reach 

 of all, and more or less inaccurate and incomplete. Dr. Coues' 

 admirable " Key to North American Birds," "^ which is probably 

 the best book of reference for collectors, and students of inani- 

 mate birds, treats merely of structure, classification, and spe- 

 cific descriptions. The same author's "Field Ornithology,"''' 

 and Mr. Maynard's "Naturalist's Guide," ^ have also been 



1" American Ornithology." Wilson. 9 vols. Philadelphia, 1814. Brought 

 down by Ord to lS-27. Also, 4 volumes by Bonaparte, of the Bh-ds not given by 

 "Wilson. Philadelphia, 1833. 



2 a. " Ornithological Biography." Audubon. 1838. b. Enlarged to "Birds of 

 America " in 1844. 



3 "A JUauual of the Ornithology of the United States and Canada." NuttaU. 

 1832, 1840. 



*" North American Birds." Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway. Little, Brown, & 

 Co., Boston, 1874. 



B" Birds," or "Ornithology and Oology," "of New England (and Adjacent 

 States)." E. A. Samuels. IStiT. 



6 "Key to North Anaerican Birds," with a list of fossil birds. Coues. Natural- 

 ists' Agency, Salem, Mass. 



' " Field Ornithology," with " a Check List of North American Birds." * Coues. 

 Naturalists' Agency, Salem, Mass. 



♦The oheck-list has been published separately. The older Smithsonian list may 

 be obtained from the Naturalist's Agency, Salem, Mass. To the above-mentioned 

 books of reference may be added various local catalogues, and the first volume, 

 lately published, of "Life-histories of the Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania, by 

 Thomas G. Gentry." 



8 " Tlie Naturalist's Guide," " with a complete catalogue of the birds of Eastern 

 MasFachusctts," and notes relative to tlieii- migrations, etc. C. J. Maynard. Fields, 

 Osgood, & Co., Bo.-ton, 1870. 



(vii) 



