INTRODUCTION 



This is the nineteenth in a series of bulletins of the United States 



National Museum on the life histories of North American birds. Pre- 

 vious numbers have been issued as follows : 



107. Life Histories of North American Diving Birds, August 1, 1919. 



113. Life Histories of North American Gulls and Terns, August 27, 

 1921. 



121. Life Histories of North American Petrels and Pelicans and Their 

 Allies, October 19, 1922. 



126. Life Histories of North American Wild Fowl (part), May 25, 

 1923. 



130. Life Histories of North American Wild Fowl (part) , June 27, 

 1925. 



135. Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds, March 11, 1927. 



142. Life Histories of North American Shore Birds (pt. 1), Decem- 

 ber 31, 1927. 



146. Life Histories of North American Shore Birds (pt. 2) , March 24, 

 1929. 



162. Life Histories of North American Gallinaceous Birds, May 25, 

 1932. 



167. Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey (pt. 1), May 3, 

 1937. 



170. Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey (pt. 2), August 

 8, 1938. 



174. Life Histories of North American Woodpeckers, May 23, 1939. 



176. Life Histories of North American Cuckoos, Goatsuckers, Hum- 

 mingbirds, and Their Allies, July 20, 1940. 



179. Life Histories of North American Flycatchers, Larks, Swallows, 

 and Their Allies, May 8, 1942. 



191. Life Histories of North American Jays, Crows, and Titmice, 

 January 27, 1947. 



195. Life Histories of North American Nuthatches, Wrens, Thrashers, 



and Their Allies, July 7, 1948. 



196. Life Histories of North American Thrushes, Kinglets, and Their 



Allies, June 28, 1949. 



197. Life Histories of North American Wagtails, Shrikes, Vireos, and 



Their Allies, June 21, 1950. 



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