Our Common Birds and How to Know Them 
The largest family of North American birds is the Fringt//idw, and comprises Finches, 
Buntings, Sparrows, Linnets, Crossbills, Grosbeaks, etc. The observer will meet numbers 
of these and will doubtless at first find it difficult to identify many of them. The next 
largest family that he will have to examine is the Mniofi/tidw or Wood-warblers, a family 
perhaps still more difficult of identification, since they are mostly small, shy birds, im- 
patient of close inspection and songsters of small ability. Dr. Coues calculates that these 
two families constitute about one-fourth of the species inhabiting any one inland locality. 
Flycatchers and Vireos are also usually abundant and are likewise not the easiest of birds 
to identify. But, with few exceptions, and referring always to the males only, the birds 
of the remaining families can be easily learned. They present such notable features of 
plumage, song or habits that they need only to be seen or heard to make identification 
certain. 
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