^ INTRODUCTION. 



tlio islands oil' the coast. In 1804 portions of llie Sierra Nevada and the 

 coast from Baulines Bay to Santa ("riiz were zoologically explored. In 18G5 

 Dr. Cooper prepared and presented a series of reports on the higher classes 

 of the animals, in which were embodied all the facts Avhich had been observed 

 by him up to that time. Since the completion of these reports he has, how- 

 e\'er, been employed, at intervals, at the expense of the Survey, in visiting 

 portions of the State not before sufficiently explored; he has also done a 

 large amount of gratuitous work, in the way of elaborating tlie materials in 

 various branches of the zoology of tlie Pacific slope, and especially the mol- 

 lusca, several important papers in reference to their classification and distri- 

 bution having been published by him in the Proceedings of the California 

 Academy of Sciences and elsewhere. 



Tlie report on tlie birds of California was submitted to Professor Baird for 

 revision and publication, and the first instalment of the work is herewith pre- 

 sented. In preparing it, all the available material of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, in this department, by permission of Professor Henry, has been freely 

 used and much important matter added. The generic aud specific technical 

 descriptions are taken almost exclu.sively from the work of Pi'ofessor Baird 

 on the Birds of North America ; the observations on the habits and distribu- 

 tion of the birds are chiefly from Dr. Cooper. ^^Tien other authorities have 

 been drawn upon, their names will be found appended to the paragrajJis 

 quoted. 



As at first proposed, and announced in the Preface to the Geology of Cali- 

 fornia, Vol. T., the ornithological portion of the report was to be comprised in 

 one volume. This has been found impossible, and there w'ill be two ; the 

 first being devoted to the L.4ND Bll!D.5, while the second will embrace 

 tlie Water Birds. The scope of these volumes has also been some- 

 wliat changed since their preparation was begun. The present one in- 

 cludes all the species of land birds found in North America, north of 

 Mexico, and west of the Eocky Mountains ; while the second will con- 

 tain the water birds of the whole continent nortli of Mexico. By taking 

 tliis course, it will be apjnircnt tliat tlie volumes will be rendered available 

 to a nnu-li larger number of persons, especially to the inliabitauts of the 

 entire western half of the United States, than if they were strictly limited to 

 Californian birds, while their size and cost will not be materially augmented. 

 Their circulation will thus be greatly increased, the additional value given 



