New York State Education Department 



Science Division, April i, 1908 



Hon. Andrew S. Draper LL.D. 



Commissioner of Education 



Sir: In 1844 this State published as one of the voliimes of the Natural 

 History of New York a comprehensive and finely illustrated treatise on the 

 birds of the State prepared by the eminent ornithologist, James E. DeKay. 

 Ever since its date of issue this work has been of fundamental value to all 

 students of birds and may justly be regarded as, in a large degree, the 

 primary inspiration of the present widespread interest among the people 

 of the State in the science of ornithology. 



In 1904, 60 years from its publication, I urgently represented to you 

 that a restudy of this field was desirable in order to bring together the 

 increments to knowledge during the long period which had elapsed without 

 active interest therein on the part of the State, and to meet the very gen- 

 eral and lively concern in the subject among our citizens. 



Consequent upon your cordial approbation of this plan, Mr E. Howard 

 Eaton, an experienced student of the birds, was asked to undertake the 

 preparation of a work which would meet the present needs of the public. 



It is with much satisfaction that I now have the honor to transmit to 

 you herewith for publication as a memoir of the State Museum, the manu- 

 script of the first volume of this treatise, accompanied by the plates in 

 color which have been prepared by the accomplished bird artist, Mr Louis 



Agassiz Fuertes. 



Very respectfully 



John M. Clarke 



Director 



