INTEODUCTIOK 



OOME six years ago, when I began to prepare this 

 ^^ little collection of the songs of the more common 

 birds of New England, I anticipated many difficulties; 

 and they have been realized. The singing season is brief, 

 and no one locality will suffice. Again, when one is so 

 fortunate as to find a bird long sought, he may not sing ; 

 and if he does, the next moment he may fly beyond 

 hearing or finding. Besides, it requires several repeti- 

 tions of a song to insure accuracy in the copy; and the 

 song of to-day may be so varied to-morrow as to be 

 hardly recognizable. Another difficulty, well worthy of 

 mention, is the newness of the field. At the time I took 

 down my first song I had no knowledge of any person 

 in America who had made the attempt ; and thus far I 

 have found no hint that has been of service to me. 



Fifty years' experience as a singing-master has taught 

 me that there is nothing people think so much of, pay so 

 much money for, and still know so little about, as music. 

 Most emphatically may this, save the money clause, be 

 affirmed of the music of Nature. However thoroughly 



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