THE SECOND BOOK OF BIRDS 
i 
WHAT IS A BIRD FAMILY ? 
In the “ First Book of Birds” I told you about 
the common life of a bird; what sort of a home 
he has, and how he is taken care of when little ; 
then how he lives when grown up; what he eats ; 
where he sleeps ; and something about how he is 
made. 
In this book, I want to help you a step further 
on in your study of birds. I shall tell you some- 
thing about particular birds, about the families 
they belong to, and the different ways in which 
they live. 
To begin with: What is a bird family? In 
life, a bird family is exactly ike a human family. 
It consists of father, mother, and children. But 
in the books, a family means quite another thing. 
Men who study the Science of Birds, or Orni- 
