PREFATORY NOTE. 



This little book has been prepared at the suggestion 

 of the Audubon Society of the District of Columbia, 

 in the belief that a local work giving untechnical de- 

 scriptions of all birds Hkely to be seen in this vicinity, 

 with something of the haunts and habits of those that 

 nest here, will be useful to many who desire an ac- 

 quaintance with our own birds but do not know just 

 how to go about making it. 



Whatever success has been attained in the effort to 

 make the book usefully accurate and complete has been 

 made possible by some of our resident ornithologists, 

 who have most generously given information, obser- 

 vations, and helpful criticism. I am especially in- 

 debted to Mr. Robert Ridgway, Dr. C. W. Richmond, 

 Dr. A. K. Fisher, Mr. William Palmer, and Dr. T. S. 

 Palmer. Miss Florence A. Merriam has been the 

 inspiration of the work from its inception. There are 

 also others to whom I am deeply grateful for kind 

 assistance. 



I would call attention to Dr. Richmond's valuable 

 tabulated list of all birds found here (p. 178), and to 

 Miss Merriam's introduction, with its hints on observ- 

 ing, and suggestions as to where to find the District 

 birds. 



The illustrations are reproduced from bulletin No. 

 3 by Dr. A. K. Fisher, and bulletin No. 54 by Prof. 

 F. E. L. Beal, published by the Biological Survey, 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



L. W. M. 

 Washington, D. C, September, i8g8. 



