INTRODUCTION. 



General appreciation of the birds, their beauty, the charm uf their songs, 

 their joyous lives, and their usefulness, is one of the most significant signs 

 of the times. It indicates that as a people we are coming into our own. We 

 are living a life beyond the merely commercial. We are looking out upon a 

 larger w : orld lifted to a higher plane. Americans have always excelled in 

 strength and push and general initiative where material things are concerned, 

 but we have been too busy developing ourselves to see about us the beautiful 

 and pleasing in nature. The grand, indeed, has always appealed to us. Now 

 we begin to have leisure for the graceful and the subtle. We are broadening 

 our lives by closer touch with that which appeals to the higher instincts 

 which have been allowed to remain dormant. It is natural and fitting that 

 birds should appeal most strongly to an American, because they possess that 

 vigor and tireless energy which he recognizes in himself. The birds live at 

 -white heat and are never idle. They typify American energy. 



The study of birds necessarily takes one out of doors. Our medical ad- 

 visers are always prescribing more outdoor exercise; but without any other 

 object than getting into the fresh air exercise is pretty stupid. Give one the 

 zest of finding new things which must be searched for, something which re- 

 quires going after, and the necessity for exercise is forgotten in the interest 

 aroused by the ever receding bird. Enlist a child in bird study and the problem 

 of most serious importance to the parent, how to properly guard the developing 

 life and keep it away from evil influences, becomes greatly simplified. A boy 

 cannot be very bad, nor stay bad, if he has a genuine interest in birds. They 

 keep his mind occupied and direct his energies into healthful channels. Life 

 never falls to a dead level to him who knows and loves the birds. Old age, 

 as we are wont to regard it, will never touch him, for he will not wish to live in 

 the past, but continue his interest in the present which will always be fresh and 

 filled with new things to learn. 



The study of birds does not require any unusual leisure. Many business 

 men whose business demands practically their whole time and attention are 

 ardent lovers of the birds, and find the few moments of bird study each day 

 valuable to them in their hours of business. They are able to plan their few 

 short vacations so they will count for the most. There is no haphazard effort 



xi. 



