142 ZOOLOGY— BIRDS. 



to take the field has generally been too late for any investigations into the 

 n(\>iting habits of the birds, and for this reason the notes relative to their 

 ])c'c uliarities at this period are nearly wanting. 



The classification and nomenclatnre followed for the Land Birds is that 

 adopted Ijy Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, in their recent work on "North 

 American liirds"; for the Water Birds, that given by Di*. Coues in his 

 " Check List " is used. 



As being less cumbersome, the technical names have been followed 

 only by the original describer's name, this being inclosed in parentheses when 

 not also the authority for the nomenclature. In many cases, each species 

 is followed by a complete list of the birds collected, the date and exact 

 locality of their capture, with the collector's name, this being a ready method 

 of indicating with precision the locality from which they were derived ; whih* 

 a large number of measurements have also been taken, where the rarity of 

 the species has seemed to make tliis a matter of importance, and also when 

 the specimens have been collected at widely separated points, to show the 

 amount of variation produced by climatic and other causes, as also the 

 amount of individual variation. In many cases, however, it has not been 

 thought advisable to present a full enumeration ; the context sufiiciently 

 showing the results of the investigations, of which the specimens are merely 

 the indices. Probably not more than one-half of the three thousand birds 

 — for the number of the four yeans' work reaches cpiite to this figure— are 

 thus mentioned. 



In the preparation of the synonymatic lists, endeavor has been made 

 to bring together only such references as have a bearing more or less directly 

 upon the region eml)raced l)y our investigations, and, Avithin this scope, to 

 make tlicni as nearly complete as possible ; the value of such references in 

 llicir li( iuiug uj)on the facts of geographical distribution being well known. 

 In this jjartof the work, the labor has been much lightened by theadmirablv 

 fidl tal)les given by Dr. Coues in his recent work on the " Birds of tlio 

 Northwest." To lliis gentleman, and also to Mr. Ixobci-t Iviiltiwiiv, of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, and to Dr. II. C. Van-ow, I niii uiidci- oblii^.itions 

 i'or much kindlv advic(» and assistance. 



