422 APPENDIX. 
letter, or even the subdivision, if any, which is marked by a 
sinall letter. Glance down the column at the left (not ruled 
off), which gives the chief color, the most conspicuous, or the 
one best characterizing the species, until you find the color 
which applies to the bird in hand. (This column is in many 
places wanting, or mentions some other characteristic than the 
chief color.) Work to the right until a satisfactory name or 
reference is reached. A glance at the size-column, giving 
the length in inches, will often be an assistance, or one at the 
list of birds, in whose names you may find expressed some 
characteristic. To measure a bird, refer to § V of the Intro- 
duction. Any characteristic written on a line is supposed to 
be also written on all the lower lines, so far as empty directly 
beneath, until a line is reached containing words to the left of 
that space. Observe carefully all foot-notes, and refer to § T 
of the Introduction for any descriptive terms not understood. . 
dé means male; Q means female. > means more than; < 
means less than. Other abbreviations or abbreviated expres- 
sions will be easily understood (as yg. for young, wh. for 
white, head-sides for sides of the head). frequently 
is employed to mean ditto. The general plan is one of reduc- 
tion to a limited choice by the use of various divisions, of 
working from the beginning toward the end, of following cer- 
tain alternations, and of working from left to right. 
