FOREWORD 



ceiving telling blows, through the arousing of the public 

 conscience. 



One of the fine signs of the times is the taking up by 

 the great movement of The Boy Scouts, the study and 

 protection of birds and the hunting of them with the 

 camera or with field-glass and note-book. Instead of 

 teaching that skill in woodcraft means expertness in 

 killing, the leaders in this movement are enthusing the 

 Scouts with "The New Hunting." The schools are also 

 taking up these "observation studies" of birds and Na- 

 ture as never before. 



The key, in fact, of the situation seems to be the 

 discovery by the youth of our country that our wild 

 birds are tremendously interesting, and that the making 

 of their acquaintance in their wild haunts is one of the 

 most fascinating of sports. To help bring this about 

 more and more, is the hope and purpose in putting forth 

 this book. 



