PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION 



IN revising this work on The Home Life and Activities of Wild 

 Birds, much has been re-written, and forty-eight new illus- 

 trations have been added to the text in place of a smaller number 

 omitted. The first three chapters have been materially changed; 

 Chapter XI. on Nest-Building is entirely new, as are also in large 

 measure those which follow on The Development and Care of the 

 Young and on Life and Instinct. 



These observations were chiefly made in central New Hamp- 

 shire, in the towns of Northfield and Tilton. Precise names 

 of all species mentioned in the text are given in the Index. 



The semi-technical parts will naturally appeal most to stu- 

 dents, but I hope they will not be without interest to the general 

 reader. 



The field of animal behavior in the direction of both observa- 

 tion and experiment is of boundless extent, while on the side of 

 inference it is full of pitfalls. Even if I have not successfully 

 avoided the latter in every case, I have been continually on my 

 guard. 



My thanks are specially due to the publishers of this volume, 

 who have forwarded my wishes in every possible way. I am 

 also indebted to the editors of the Century Magazine, and of Bird 

 Lore for permission to use certain material which has already 

 appeared in their pages, and to all critics of the earlier edition 

 who have appreciated my efforts. 



WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, 



CLEVELAND, OHIO, March, 1905. 



