18 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



Other varieties nesting as happily as though far 

 distant from the turmoil of a great city. On a 

 recent visit to Chicago, in Jackson Park, were 

 found many nesting birds, Robins, Purple 

 Crackles, the House Wren, Kingbirds and sev- 

 eral Warblers. Thus one sees that these friends 

 of man are ready to stay near him whenever he 

 will provide home sites and shelter that are 

 suitable for their need. 



Distribution of Bird Life. Bird life is very 

 generally distributed over the earth's surface. 

 On mountain heights, in mid-ocean, in the great 

 deserts, even in the Polar regions, as well as in 

 our fields, forests and parks, birds are found. 

 Mr. Amundsen reports having found Gulls and 

 Penguins very near the South Pole, so that one 

 may believe that the distribution of bird life is 

 practically universal. Thus we see that where- 

 ever we go we may always find birds to study, 

 under widely varying conditions in different 

 parts of the earth. 



Form. All birds have the same general form, 

 but they differ much in the size and shape of the 

 various parts. The peculiar structure of each 

 species seems to be that best adapted to its 

 habits of life. And it is generally believed that 

 the present shape and structure of the different 

 families is the result of ages of pursuit of cer- 

 tain fixed habits, especially those habits which 

 pertain to gaining the daily food supply, the 

 most important activity of each bird as well as 

 the most constant. Flycatchers are keen of eye 

 and quick of wing. Hunting birds, like Hawks 

 and Owls, have stout legs and toes which are 



