PREFACE 



portant points. In addition, Mr. Ludlow 

 Griscom (now of the staff of the Museum of 

 Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass.) 

 has given me much valuable information and 

 encouragement and has corrected and brought 

 up to date the scientific names used in this 

 book. 



It was, however, at the suggestion of Dr. 

 Willard G. Van Name of the American 

 Museum of Natural History, that I under- 

 took the preparation of this book, and, but 

 for his untiring interest and the advice and 

 assistance given at frequent intervals during 

 its progress, I might not have been able to 

 overcome the difficulties which my inexperi- 

 ence in such work placed in the way of its 

 completion. 



I am also indebted to Dr. James Zetek of 

 the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture, Resident Custodian of the Barro Col- 

 orado Island Laboratory, for the opportunity 

 of making a visit there, and to Dr. Ignacio 

 Molino, the Assistant Custodian ; also to Mr. 

 Carlos Arosamena, of New York City, for in- 

 formation regarding the Spanish names of the 

 birds. 



BERTHA BEMENT STURGIS 



Washington, D. C. 

 April, 1928. 



Vlll 



