PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION. 



scope of the present work may be explained in a few words. 

 1 As in former editions, the text consists of concise descriptions of 

 nests and eggs of North American Birds. The term 'North Ameri- 

 can' in this connection implies all the territory north of the present 

 Southern United States boundary, including Greenland and the penin- 

 sula of Lower California, with the islands naturally belonging thereto. 

 All species and subspecies have been excluded from this list, of 

 which no authentic account of either their nests or eggs has been ob- 

 tained. Additional information regarding the nesting and eggs of 

 various species, which has come to hand while the work was in pro- 

 gress of printing, will be found in the Appendix. 



A Supplement to the A. O. U. Code and Check-List* has recently 

 been issued containing Additions, Eliminations and Changes of No- 

 menclature. The species and subspecies that have been interpo- 

 lated, and indicated by the double asterisk (**), are repeated in the Ap- 

 pendix with their proper numbers, as given in the A. O U. Supple- 

 ment, and additional species are here also included, of which a reliable 

 description of their nests and eggs was obtained. 



All stragglers or accidental visitors have their respective numbers 

 to the left in brackets. For an explanation oi the authority of names, 

 Canon L. (page 56) of the A. O. U. Code may be quoted: "The 

 authority for a specific or subspecific name is the first describer of the 

 species or subspecies. When the first describer of the species or sub- 

 species is not also the authority, it is to be enclosed in parenthesis ; e. 

 g., Turdus migratorius L., ot Merula migratoria (L)." 



The nomenclature followed in this and former editions, the meas- 

 urements .used, etc., are stated in Note on page I. No attempt 

 has been made to describe the birds. For an analytical description of 

 these, the reader is referred to such works as Cones' Key to North 

 American Birdsf or Ridgway's Manual.! While I am indebted to the 



* Supplement to the Code of Nomenclature and Check List of North American Birds adopted by the 

 American Ornithologists' Union. Prepared by the Committee of the Union. New York: American 

 Ornithologists' Union. 1889. L. S. Foster, Publisher, 36 Pine street, New York, N. Y. 



t Key to North American Birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living: and fossil 

 bird at present known from the Continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of 

 Greenland and Lower California, with which are incorporated General Ornithology: an outline of the struc- 

 ture and classification of birds; and Field Ornithology: a manual of collecting, preparing and preserving 

 birds. The third edition, exhibiting the new nomenclature of the American Ornithologists' Union, and 

 including descriptions of additional species, etc. By Elliott Coues, M. A., M. D., Ph. D., etc., etc. Pro- 

 fusely illustrated. Boston ; Estes and Lauriat. 1887. 



t A Manual of North American Birds. By Robert Ridgway. Illustrated by 464 outline drawings of 

 the generic characters. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company. 1887. 



