PREFACE 



Having searched in vain for more than thirty years for a 

 simple text-book to assist in the study of general — and es- 

 pecially North American — Ornithology, the writer has de- 

 cided, at length, to make one for himself. The work was 

 planned some years ago ; and the following letter was written 

 in answer to a communication anticipating, in a great measure, 

 these very pages, and wdll explain itself: 



"Wood's Hole, Mass., June 17, 1871. 

 My Dear Sir : 



Your letter of the 6th has been forwarded to 

 me from Washington, and in replj- it gives me pleasure to authorize any 

 use you desire of the material published in my work on the Birds of North 

 America. 



I shall, of course, be gratified to have you make whatever acknowl- 

 edgment you may think best of the service which you consider that this 

 may have been to you. 



Very trulj- Yours, 



Spencer F. Bairu." 



iv. 



