viii PREFACE 



minor life-areas of the world. Since the stories of 

 the lives of few of them have ever been pre- 

 sented in popular form and untechnical lan- 

 guage, readers will find here set forth much new 

 and interesting information. 



In some instances a didactic style of presen- 

 tation has been chosen. This has made it pos- 

 sible to give much valuable information that 

 could not have been included had the effort 

 always been made to write a "good story." 

 Writers on natural-history subjects have, in their 

 desire to create interest and to bring their story 

 to a fitting climax, frequently conveyed im- 

 pressions concerning the behavior of animals 

 which were false or misleading. 



The information concerning these birds and 

 animals has been gained in large part by obser- 

 vations in the field without trap or gun ; for it 

 has been recognized that it is possible to ob- 

 tain true ideas concerning living creatures only 

 through sympathetic and friendly interest in 

 their habits and behavior under natural condi- 

 tions. 



Rather than attempt to give the life-histories 

 of all of the many animal forms inhabiting the 



