VIII 



Those closet Naturalists, who study altogether from dried 

 specimens, are merely theorists. Such a course may serve to 

 amuse the student who is content with acquiring only the classifi- 

 cation of this beautiful and highly interesting part of the animal 

 creation, of the habits and abode of which, he knows nothing 

 practically; to such, the poetry of Ornithology is entirely lost. 

 The descriptions of plumage I have taken from a collection now 

 before me, comprising, with but few exceptions, all those species 

 figured by Mr. Audubon in his great, and to our country, highly 

 creditable work on the " Birds of America," the majority of 

 the species having been procured by my own hand. Should I, 

 from the plain manner in which I have endeavored to point out the 

 specific characters of those procured on Long Island, as well as 

 by placing within reach of those who are in daily use of the 

 gun, a simple Book of Reference, be instrumental in adding to 

 our already large Fauna, or acquire a further knowledge of the 

 habits of those species which with us are but little known, the pur- 

 pose of the writer will be accomplished. 



In preparing a list of the Birds of Long Island, I have stu- 

 diously avoided introducing any species that I have not met with, 

 or received from the very best authority an intimation of its occur- 

 rence in our locality. In- speaking of the migrations and habits 

 of species for which my opportunities for observation have been very 

 limited, I have had recourse to the works of various authors, none 

 of which have been more closely consulted than the highly instruc- 

 tive pages of Wilson and Audubon. In comparing specimens in 

 various stages of plumage, I have enjoyed the privilege of the 

 valuable Cabinets of Messrs. Bell, Lawrence, and Brasher, who, 

 from their Ornithological acquirements, as well as their acquaint- 

 ance with the locality with which wc are engaged, have contribut- 

 ed much valuable information. J. P. GIRAUD, Jr. 

 New-York, June, 1843. 



