PREFACE. 7 



The farmers of our country are, for the most part, a 

 very intelligent class, as the writer well knows from per- 

 sonal intercourse with them. Many of them might, and 

 should be, amateur naturalists. This would turn many 

 an hour of field -labor into a recreation, and could not 

 fail to be an important aid in the education of their 

 families. A popular book, giving a pleasing account of 

 the habits and characters of the birds of the garden, 

 the orchard, the field and the forest, would be a work of 

 frequent reference, and might afford many an hour of 

 leisurely reading in connection with more or less obser- 

 vation, and thus would be a constant source of pleasure 

 and profit. 



In short, I have tried to meet a wide demand never 

 yet met in this country — to have a book on birds for every- 

 body. I write almost entirely from personal observation, 

 incorporating in my work a full report for Western New 

 York and the adjoining regions of the Great Lakes, and 

 a pretty full report for Nova Scotia; also a good deal of 

 direct information from Hudson's Bay, by means of an 

 excellent correspondent. This last feature of original 

 investigation should specially commend the work to the 

 scientist. 



I would here acknowledge the cordial aid received 

 through correspondence with a large circle of naturalists 

 and amateurs, whose names appear in different parts of 



