CONTENTS. 



Page. 



List of Plates vii 



Introduction, xi 



Order Pygopodes Diving Birds, 1 



Family Podicipidae The Grebes 1 



Urinatoridse The Loons, 6 



Alcidse-The Auks, Murres and Puffins 8 



Order Longipennes Long-winged Swimmers, 10 



Family Stercorariidae The Jaegers, 10 



Laridae The Gulls and Terns 13 



Ryuchopidae The Skimmers 24 



Order Tubinares Tube-nosed Swimmers, 25 



Family Procellariidae-The Shearwaters and Petrels 25 



Order Steganopodes Totipalmate Swimmers, 28 



Family Phalacrocoracidae The Cormorants, 28 



Pelecanidse The Pelicans 29 



Order Anseres Lamellirostral Swimmers, 30 



Family Anatidae The Ducks, Geese and Swans 30 



Order Herodiones Herons, Egrets, etc 53 



Family Ibididae-The Ibises 53 



Ciconiidae The Wood Ibises, . 53 



Ardeidae The Herons, Bitterns, etc., 54 



Order Paludicolae Rails, Coots, etc., 67 



Rallidae-The Rails, Gallinules, etc 67 



Order Limicolae Shore Birds 75 



Family Phalaropodidae The Phalaropes, ... 75 



Scolopacidae The Snipes, Sandpipers, etc., 77 



Charadriidae The Plovers, 97 



Aphrizidse The Turnstones, 103 



Order Gallinae Gallinaceous Birds, 104 



Family Tetraonidae The Grouse. Partridges, etc., 104 



Phasianidae The Turkeys, 109 



Order Columbae Pigeons, 110 



Family Col umbidae Pigeons, 110 



Order Raptores- Birds of Prey, 114 



Family Cathartidae The American Vultures 114 



Falconidae The Hawks, Eagles, etc 117 



Strigidae The Barn Owls 144 



Bubonidaa The Horned Owls, etc 146 



Order Coccyges Cuckoos, etc., 159 



Family Cuculidae The Cuckoos, 159 



Alcedinidse The Kingfishers, 162 



Order Pici Woodpeckers, 164 



Family Picidae The Woodpeckers, 164 



Insects that Woodpeckers eat 176 



Order Macrochires-Goatsuckers, Swifts, 178 



Family Caprimulgidae The Whip-poor-will and Nighthawk, 178 



Micropodidas Swifts, 182 



Trochilidae Hummingbirds, 183 



Order Passeres Perching Birds, . . 186 



Family Tyrannida? The Flycatchers, .... 186 



Alaudidse Larks, 197 



Corvidae The Crows and Jays 198 



Icteridse-The Blackbirds, Orioles, etc 205 



Fringillidse The Finches, Sparrows, etc 224 



Tanagridae The Tanagers, 250 



(v) 



