INTRODUCTION 



MY aim in writing this book has been 

 to gather together the facts observed by 

 me concerning bird-life in the Somerset 

 Hills. I have used only the common 

 names of the birds, except in the com- 

 plete list in Chapter XIII, where the 

 scientific names are also given. 



Whatever I shall attain by the writing 

 of this book, I owe to the help and en- 

 couragement of my Mother and Father. 



I am greatly indebted to Mr. C. 

 William Beebe for his valuable criticism 

 and advice. I also wish especially to 

 thank Miss Lilian G. Cook for her great 

 interest and assistance in my bird-work. 

 The colored plates are the work of Mr. 

 Chester A. Reed. 



JOHN DRYDEN KUSER. 



BERNARDSVILLE, N. J. 

 APRIL, 1912. 



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