INTRODUCTORY. 



The importance of a thorough knowledge of our birds and 

 their habits cannot be over-estimated. Some species are ex- 

 ceedingly useful, others are positively injurious, while still 

 others are probably neither beneficial nor injurious. The bene- 

 ficial birds comprise those which feed mainly on insects, and 

 when we remember how prolific our insect pests are and that 

 these birds are very efficient agents in reducing their numbers, 

 we can well understand how important it is to be able to dis- 

 tinguish the beneficial from the injurious, in order that we may 

 protect the former and destroy the latter. 



The author of this work, an associate member of the Ameri- 

 can Ornithologists' Union, has taken great pains to incorporate 

 into this paper all desirable information concerning the birds 

 of this region, including a brief, technical description of each 

 species, the times of migrating, nesting, and food habits, 

 whether beneficial or injurious, and a very useful key for the 

 determination of the species. It is befieved that very few, if 

 any, birds, which occur in Hampshire County, have been 

 omitted. 



We can most cheerfully recommend this work to those inter- 

 ested in ornithology, as well as to farmers and fruit growers in 

 this region. 



C. H. Fernald. 



Amherst, Mass., April 15, 1887. 



