The scheme of the book, which will embrace all of North America this 

 side of Mexico, is to inform the reader : 



First, — Of the area throughout which each species is ascertained to breed; 



Second, — Of the date of arrival, and preliminaries to nest-building; 

 Third, — Of the site chosen for tlie nest, materials employed, method of 

 architecture, shape, and all characteristics by which the structure may be 

 recognized ; 



Fourth, — Of tiiu eggs, — when laid, number, size and markings, with the 

 aid of superior figures of each kind; 



Fifth, — Of the incubatioii and birth of the young birds, their food while 

 a the ]iest and the care bestowed upon them by the parents. 



While of many species it is impossible to give a full description of all 

 these incideiits of domestic life, ihe publishers are confident tliat the sur- 

 prise will be that so much is linowu in detail of our birds, when all the re- 

 corded observations are brought together, as proposed, and made to shed 

 light on each other. 



A cliapter also will be given to the formation of Cabinets of Oology, con- 

 taining directions how, when an J where to find the nests of birds; sugges- 

 tions as to the best modes of collecting and transporting the eggs, the prepa- 

 ration of specimens, arrangement of the collection, disposal of duplicates, 

 and the best method of keeping tlie records of the museum. These sugges- 

 tions, derived from the experience of the oldest American and European 

 collectors, will be of the most practical nature, furnishing precisely that in- 

 formation and help Miiicli beginners need, and from the lack of which old 

 collectors often suffer. 



In a book designed to fill the place of the present work, and which is to 

 have the wide circulation among all classes, which there is no doubt this 

 will attain, it is needful that there should be both attractiveness of style and 

 the highest scientific accuracy. 



All that Mr. Ingersoll has previously written has shown in a marked de- 

 gree that he possesses the faculty to combine these two merits of popularly 

 scientific composition; and it is fair to suppose that this book, to the careful 

 preparation of which he brings long study, will even excel the literary charm 

 and technical purity of his previous essays. 



An indispensable feature of such a work, also, is the illustration of the 

 form, markings and colors of the eggs. Each number of the Nest.s axd 

 Eggs of NonTii American Biuds, therefore, will contain three plates, 

 drawn from the most typical eggs in public and private oological museums. 

 The figures will be drawn by Mr. J. II. Emcrton, the unexcelled artist in 

 natural history, and other skilful draftsmen; and particular attention will 

 be paid to the beauty and exactness with which every feature is reproduced. 

 In addition to this the pages of letter-press will be garnished with a large 

 number of wood-cuts of nests, fully illustrating the characteristic architec- 

 ture of each family. 



