PREFACE. 



The writer is aware that there are many ex- 

 cellent bird books, but while most of these are 

 of wider scope, either covering the broad field 

 of general ornithology or dealing with the en- 

 tire bird life of a large area of country, there 

 are few which treat solely of the groups of spe- 

 cial interest to sportsmen, — especially to the 

 sportsmen of New England. This work is de- 

 voted to the so-called ''game birds," and while 

 the author's intent has been to write of them 

 to the man whose nature study has been con- 

 ducted in the open and mostly over a gunbarrel, 

 it is his hope that all lovers of the birds and the 

 out-of-doors, and even the scientific ornitholo- 

 gist as well, may find his page of interest and 

 profit. 



Treating the subject from the standpoint of 

 fair sportsmanship, the writer has endeavored 

 to discountenance the reckless and needless 

 slaughter by those whose ambition it is to make 

 a record killing, and he asks of the thoughtful 



