Soon after the organization of the Delaware Valley Ornithological 

 Club in 1890, steps were taken to compile from the field notes of the 

 members a list of the birds known by them to occur in the vicinity 

 of Philadelphia, to serve as a nucleus for a future publication. 



At a meeting of the Club held on February 2, 1892, a committee 

 of three was appointed to take the matter in hand and to prepare a 

 work, which should embody in a compact form, all the important 

 results of the Club's ornithological investigations, in connection with 

 a correct list of the birds to be found in the Delaware Valley and 

 along the New Jersey seacoast. 



The Committee entered immediately upon its duties, and it was 

 agreed that the preparation and editing of the work should be en- 

 trusted to Mr. Stone, he having already collected a large amount of 

 data, while the other members should confer with him and examine 

 and revise the manuscript as the work progressed. 



The Committee issued two circulars to ornithologists and sports- 

 men, calling for information, and received a large number of replies. 

 From time to time it reported progress to the Club, delaying a final 

 report, with the object of obtaining as much information as possible 

 upon the work in hand. 



At a meeting of the Club held May 17, 1894, the final report was 

 submitted, and the committee was continued with full authority to 

 proceed with the publication of the work, which is herewith pre- 

 sented. 



George Spencer Morris,") 



Samuel N. Rhoads, I Committee. 



WiTAiER Stone. ) 



Philadelphia, November 1, 1894. 



(ill) 



