PHILOSOPHIC "KM III..; 



I 



The importance of systematic classified ion ualso shown in the ne- 

 cessity of naming object* before we can study them tn ml vantage. As 

 the alphabet is the foundation of a written language, so this great 

 aeries of scientific names, which appears so formidable to the student. 



i- tin- u'roimdwork for till ornilhologjeal research. 



/'A i /.<///,A i r Drnithohyy. Having learned the alphabet of orni- 

 thology, we may pass from the systematic to the philosophic study 

 of birds ; from the .-Midy of dead birds to that of living one*. A 

 study of s|>ccimens shows their relation-hip- through -tructurv, bat 

 iy of the living l.ird in its haunts may tell us the emut of 

 structure. In classifying birds we have taken n.-t,- of their f..rm and 

 coloration ; our object now is to determine how these characters were 

 acquired. 



As Prof. K. S. Morse has said, " There is no group of animals 

 which exceed- birds in varied and suggestive material for the erolu- 

 ti.mist." Compare a Hummingbird with an ()>trich, a Swallow with 



-ruin, and the enormous variation in the structure and ha' 

 birds is brought very forcibly to our minds. When w- remember 

 that these widely divcr^-nt type- dc-eended from a reptilian m 

 we are impressed anew with the truth of Prof. Morse'-, remark. 



A brief revii-w of the more important branches of philo-ophic 

 ornithology will show how rich a field is open t.. tin- -tud. nt of bird*.. 

 Thi-y are: (1) Tho origin of birds and their place in Nature;* cji their 

 distribution iu time and space, and the influent** whieh determine 

 their present ranges; f (3) the migration of birds, its origin. object, ei- 

 tent. and manner; % (4) the nesting of bin!-, including a study of the 

 significance of sexual differences in form, color, and voice, the location 

 and construction of the nest, the number and color of the eggs, together 

 with the habits of birds during the entire nesting season; (5) the effect 



See Newton's Dictionary of Birdu (London : Adam and Charlrc Black. IflH); 

 arti.-l.-s. Anatomy ..f Mini* " and - Fosiiil Birds" ; Oouea'i K Bint*. 



t Read The Geographical PiNtribiition of North American Mammals, by J. A. 

 All. -n. Hull Am Mil* N.it ll:-r jr. JHB8, pp. IWoMI : four mapn. To* Oo- 

 graphical Origin and I>i-tri>>u>in <>f N..rth Airi.-rienii Birds, cunsidrnnl In Rrl 

 lion to Fauna! ArraH of North America, by J. A. Allrn. The Auk. z. MM, pp. 

 B7-1SO ; two map* Tin- i ;.- v-rnphii- DiHtrihution of I .if.- in Nnh America with 



S|H-.-iftl K.-f.-n-iic-.- t.. tli.- M.nnm.ilM. l.\ C ll.irt M.tn.i'. \! [ IT . f U.n 

 Biologi AoMhiiik'ton. vii, IHm. pp. 1 ftl ; <>IM> map Laws of Tempera- 



ture Control, by Dr. C. Hart Mrrrtani. Nat. Uo. Mas;.. l, IBM, pp. fl- ; 

 thnt- maps. 



t On this subject read articles by the following authors : J. A. Allen, Berth- 

 ner's MaRazlne. xxil. iwi. ,.,, io-j ...> : Dull Nuttall <>rn. Club. T. IM>. pp. 151- 

 1M ; 8c- ,,,, g7-IOO : Brewnter. Memoirs Nnttall Ora. (Tub (Cam- 



bridge, Mam.). No I. pp. 0; Cooke and Merrtam. Bird Mlcratfosi in UM 

 Mississippi Valley iWahlnct>n. IftW) : Chapman. Auk. T. IMR. pp. K-9: d. 

 MM, pp. 18-17: Ix-on.is. Auk. Ix. 1HM. pp. 8H- ; xl. 1M. pp. . f4-lt7; 

 Btooe, Birds of E r.-nn and N J.. Bird Migration, pp. li *. 



