BIRDS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 259 



lar reason can be given for the movement of the Cliif Swallow, which 

 has emigrated to us with a quarter of a century, and is now the mo.-t 

 common of the tribe in some parts of the State. The earliest infor- 

 mation I have of its appearance in New England is from Chief Justice 

 Shaw, who tells me that he found it at the White Mountains, in the 

 summer of 1816. In the case of birds rarely or lately found among us, 

 I can only offer what information I am able to obtain, and must leave 

 it to the reader to judge for himself, whether they come as accidental 

 wanderers, as spies to explore the country, or as pioneers to take pos- 

 session and establish a permanent home. 



With respect to the second object of the survey, that of giving infor- 

 mation which may be useful to cultivators of the soil, I am fully per- 

 suaded from my examination of the subject, that there are no birds 

 which it is our interest to destroy. There are some which are occa- 

 sionally troublesome in our fields and gardens; but, do what we will, 

 we cannot prevent their depredations; if we shoot them, we only grati- 

 fy our revengeful feeling, since new reinforcements stand ready to 

 supply the place of every one that falls. And this is not the only 

 thing to be regarded. In every instance of our removing a present 

 inconvenience, we are opening a door for the entrance of much greater 

 evils. But without any systematic discussion of this point, I shall 

 introduce remarks as they suggest themselves, in the course of the 

 report, showing where we are indebted to any birds for services, and 

 where we suffer from their depredations; leaving the reader to balance 

 the one against the other, and to judge for himself whether the course 

 of mercy or revenge is the best for him to pursue. 



Having made these remarks in explanation of the plan which I pro- 

 pose to follow, I proceed to give the names of such residents and visi- 

 ters in our State as I have been able to ascertain. There may be some 

 passed over ; and if so, I hope that those who have not favored me 

 with the results of their observations, will aid in accomplishing the 

 objects of the survey, by giving the information they may possess, to 

 the public, in some other form. 



