P^OSPtCTO^ 



Part I of Nehrling's work has niet with a reception never before accorded to any ornithological 

 work ever published in this couutr3'. Tlie niost prominent authorities on oniithology and the leadhig 

 literary and scientitic papers pronounce it the best populär work ou the subject evcr issxied since 

 Audubon's time. From a great number of letters and reviews the like of which no writcr on bird-life 

 ever received before — the following extracts are inade, showing the charaetcr and scope of the work. 



Prof. Wm. Brewster, of the Museum of Coraparativc 

 Zoologj', Cambridge, Mass. a iiaturalist of the hightst rank, 

 an adrairable writer, a great omithologist, writes to the 

 author : 



Judging l)}' the First Part, which has just reached me, your 

 "North American Birds" bids fair to eclipse cverything of the 

 kind wbieU has hitherto appeared. In fact it can encouiiter uo 

 forniidable competition for, since Audubon we have had no 

 general work frora conipetent hands which has dealt at all 

 thoroughly apd satisfactorily with the populär side of the sub- 

 ject, that is. with the hfe histories of our birds. The nced of 

 such a book is pressing and to one who has the courage, abil- 

 ity and resources neccssary for an undertaking of such magui- 

 tude the ficld is practically untrodden. 



That yüu possess tlie requisites just mcntioned I cannot 

 doubt. In addition you may count safely on the heartiest Sup- 

 port froia your brother ornithologists whosc confidence you 

 have already won by your able and valuable p.apers, cspecially 

 those an Texan birds. 



The plan of your work seetns to me admirable in evcry 

 way, (considering its avowtd populär mission,) and its literary 

 execntion, as attested by this First Part, is evideutly to be of 

 a high Order. Your original passages are charmingly written 

 and those taken at second band, show exccUtut judgemeut in 

 selection. It is especially refreshing to miss the old, hackntyed 

 uuotations, worn threadbare by long and frequent use, and to 

 mid in their places so much that is either quite new or of roceut 

 origin. If the book does not nieet with general favor and 

 provc a tnarkcd sucess the fault must bc charged to the public, 

 not the author. 



Prof. J. A. Allen, American Museum of Natural HisLory, 

 Central Park, New York City, a well-known scientist, Presi- 

 dent of the American Ornithologist's Union, editor of the 

 "Auk", writes: 



The bioo;raphics are charmingly written, and have a fresh- 

 ness and onginality that is verj- pleasing. If carried ou as be- 

 gun I do not See why it should not stand at the hcad of the list 

 of modern ptipular works on bird Yifc in this country and 

 abroad, exceptiiig pcrhaps a Single one*, as yet uncomplcted, 

 and I fear never to be finished. The plates are expressive and 

 truthful, and are as well finished. anderen better, than one 

 would naturally cxpect in a work of such moderate price. The 

 Ictter-press and typography seem above criticisni. I am 

 av/art I am giviiig your work high praise, but not higher than 

 1 think it deserves. 



• Dr. EUiott Coues, Birds of the Colorado Valley. Vol. I. [1874i 



Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Omithologist ef the United States 

 Department ofAgriculture, uuthor of "The Birds of Connecti- 

 cui" and inany othfrhighly scientific pa persoii natura! hislory, 

 writes: 



For several years I have lookt-ci iorward to the apiicarance 

 of this work with unusual interest, and 1 am very glad to see 

 that it is published in suchgood style, and that it contains so 

 rauch inforraatiou ofvalue, preseuted in a pleasant and read- 

 aWe raanncr. 



Such a work as you are now x>«ljlishing has long been 

 needed in this country — a work whicii eombines accuracy and 

 reliability of biopraphy with a miniraum of technical description, 

 and illiistrated in such a way that all the figure.s ,nrc recoguiz- 

 ablc. l trust its sale will warr-nt the very large amouut of 

 money expcnded in its piiblication. 



I take the deejicst interest in this book of yours because I 

 believe it to be .i work of great importance to American orni- 

 thology, and incomparably the best book of its kind that has 

 ever appeared 



Mk. EroENE P. BiCKXELL, Rivcrdalc, N. Y. City, one of 

 the foremost oruithologists and one of the founders and 

 officials ofthe American Ornithologist's Union writes: 



Your vrork is far moresatisfactory thanother works which 

 have come before me professing more than they perfonncd. 

 Yourpagesbear evidence ofcarei'ul and etithusiastie Observation 

 and study of our birds, and, while containing much having 

 that value to science which aUvays attaches to records of orig- 

 inal Observation, is, at the same time, by no means too 

 technical for bird loveis who are not oruithologists, Tliere is 

 au out-of-doors' atmosphere to your pcn-picturcs, a flavor of 

 the woods and fields, which cannot fail to be appreciated by 

 all who apprcciate Nature. 1 think no one will dispute niy 

 opinion that your book is well adapted both to arouse and to 

 help satisfy aa interest in the featliered tribe. 

 • » 



Prof. R. Ridgway, of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 ■Washington, D. C, the great omithologist and artist, writes : 



I took the books home with me, and have perused tiiem 

 with ver\' great pleasure. In fact, I can truly s.uy that I have 

 never enjoyed reading about our birds as I did your articles on 

 the Wood-Thrush, Mockingbird, and other songsters includcd 

 in the First Part of your work. Barring a fcw typographical 

 errors ( whioh are of course inevitable) the work is in cvery re- 

 spect most admirable, and camiot fail to delight as well as in- 

 struct all lovcrs of the woods and their feathered inhabitants 

 who are so fortuuate, as to possess it. 



In the fortheoming Parts 1 look expectantly forward to a 

 raretreat in the promised series of beautifully and truthfully 

 written Hfe-histories. The book wUl surelydo much to makethe 

 people of our fair land betler acquaiuted with their soiig-birds, 

 unfortunately too little knowu and too little appreciated by 

 them. 



Capt. Chas. Bendire, U. S. A., now Curator of the Oolo- 

 gical Department of the United States National Museum, 

 Washington, D. C. writes: 



Part I. of your work "North American Birds" carae tohand 



yesterday I have oiily had a ehance to hurry through 



the ivork, but from even a h.isty cxamination I must sa}', that 

 it strikes me as exceedingly well written, and giving a very 

 accurate and pleasing account of the various species treatcd. 

 I can see no reason, why it should not bea complete sucess and 

 takc the place of a iniiubcr of inferior works ofthe kind. Both 

 the practical omithologist and the amateur will find the work 

 bothiuteresting and instructing. 



Dr. Geg. Bird Gkinnell, of New York, editor- in-chief 

 of the "Forest and Stream", and one of the leading orui- 

 thologists, writes : 



I exprvss my admiration for the work that you are doing. 

 A populär work on "North- American Birds", which should be 

 attractivc, accurate and at the same time so incxpensive as to 

 be vrithin the reich of all, has long beonneided, and.ifim.jy 

 judge from Part I of 3'our North American Birds, we are aow 

 to have such a voluiue It waa high tiine that some one 



