IV 



PREFACE. 



North American Birds may serve as a handy book for the sportsman 

 and traveller, as well as for the resident naturalist, and that all may 

 find it a convenient and satisfactory means of identifying any North 

 American bird in all its variations of plumage. 



ROBEBT RIDGWAY. 



DEPARTMENT OF BIRDS, 

 UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, 

 April 11, 1887. 



