THIS book has been written from a desire to interest, if not 

 to instruct, young people in that most attractive branch of 

 Natural History, the study of birds. If this purpose is ac- 

 complished, I trust that its deficiencies may be pardoned. In 

 my early study of ornithology, I felt great need of some similar 

 book ; hence my attempt to supply it. I have made several 

 quotations in my own name from occasional notes which I have 

 already given to the public. This is in accordance with my 

 original expectation of publishing the following pages anony- 

 mously a course, however, which has been thought inad- 

 visable. 



H. D. MINOT. 

 Nov. 1st, 1876. 



