4 mEFACE. 



While he who now undertakes this work 

 does not claim that he knows living birds as 

 well as he could wish, he has had a wide field 

 experience with them ; an experience extend- 

 ing over half a century, for forty years of 

 which he has been a teacher in bird study. 



The author's plan for this book is, to 

 give only such points in form, flight, habits, 

 and color which can readily be seen with an 

 ordinary bird glass, which will serve to iden- 

 tify the species observed, rigidly excluding 

 all others. In short, points that he has been 

 teaching his pupils to see when they have been 

 with him in the field. It goes without say- 

 ing, that those most conclusive means of iden- 

 tification, the songs or other sounds uttered 

 by birds will not be omitted. Breeding hab- 

 its nests and eggs and the young will also be 

 noticed. The figures beneath the cuts indi- 

 cate the comparative size ; if there is none, 

 the cut is life size. 



In concluding the author wishes to give 

 credit for the idea from which this book orig- 



