PEEFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 



MORE than three years have passed since I penned the 

 opening chapter, which was prefatory in character, of this vol- 

 ume of zoological sketches. Since then, I have spent much of 

 every month in the field, and been always mindful of the fact 

 that various statements of mine had been critically commented 

 upon. I endeavored, whenever opportunity occurred, to prove 

 whether my critic or I was in the right, and in this new issue 

 of my book will be found the result of my efforts in this direc- 

 tion. 



These changes refer more particularly to the mammals and 

 reptiles. In the ornithological chapters I found little to 

 amend. But, in reference to birds, I would have my readers 

 bear three facts in mind : first, that I treat of a very limited 

 area ; secondly, that the same species of birds sometimes differ 

 very widely in habits, according to environment ; and, thirdly, 

 that the movements of migratory birds are exceedingly uncer- 

 tain, and the dates of their arrival and departure are of no sig- 

 nificance except when careful observations cover many years. 

 This is particularly true along that border-land between the 

 northern or summer haunts, and southern or winter haunts, 

 of migratory species ; and it is upon such bordering territory 

 that I have spent my whole life. 



Both in the body of the work and in the Appendix I have 

 most carefully gone over every date, compared it with my 

 field-notes, and referred the matter to excellent observers in 

 other portions of the State, and have had no occasion to make 

 any material change in the text of the original edition. 



A word in conclusion concerning contradictory impressions, 

 and, indeed, contradictory statements. The observer who is 

 not continually perplexed by the former makes, I fear, but poor 

 use of his eyes and ears. A critic has remarked that I some- 

 times claim a change of habit to have taken place, and again 



