PREFACE 
HE water and game birds and the birds of prey are often omitted 
by the amateur, and it is hoped that this little book will arouse a 
new interest in their study and protection. The last of July the 
shore birds begin to arrive from the north, during August and Sep- 
tember they continue to come and go, by the first of October most 
of them have gone. ‘Then begins the flight of the ducks. Many of 
these remain through the winter. A day at the beach in late fall or 
midwinter is a pleasant outing, and many a delightful hour may be 
spent watching the birds off shore. At Lynn, Revere or other pro- 
tected waters they are more confident and easier to approach. A 
few days at Chatham or Nantucket in the fall or late summer is an 
interesting experience. There one may secure the services of a 
fisherman and his dory and get acquainted with the ocean birds. 
