INTRODUCTION. 



T3ERHAPS some apology is necessary for the appear- 

 ance of a new American Bird-book. 



Mine must be that the only complete work on Colorado 

 Birds is that of Cooke, which, though brought up-to-date 

 by successive supplements, is now out of print and very 

 difficult to obtain. Moreover, Cooke gives no descriptions 

 or keys, so that it is not of much use to the tyro who 

 wishes to identify the birds which he has observed or 

 obtained. 



The present volume is founded on the very complete 

 collection of Colorado birds formed during the last 

 thirty -five years by Mr. Charles E. Aiken, of Colorado 

 Springs. Tliis collection was recently acquired by General 

 William J. Palmer, and presented by him to the Museum 

 of Colorado College. As was well known to all General 

 Palmer's intimate friends, he was a great lover of Nature, 

 and specially of the wild birds of his adopted State, and 

 it was in accordance with his often expressed desire 

 that I undertook the preparation of this work, and made 

 use of the Aiken collection for the purpose. 



Before arrangements could be made for its publication 

 his death occurred. 



The complete volume has, therefore, been dedicated to 

 him ; and, as a personal memorial, the necessary expenses 

 involved in publication have been defrayed by his sister- 

 in-law, Mrs. WiUiam Lutley Sclater and his brother-in-law, 

 Mr. Chase Mellen, of New York. 



A 2 



