58 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The book is not of so much importance as the attitude of the student. The 

 author learned more from an old thumb worn, imperfect copy of "Ornith- 

 ology," evidently compiled from the works of early writers, principally 

 Wilson, than he has from any exhaustive treatises of recent publication. 

 He knew the colored plates of DeKay's Birds of New York so well that the 

 species therein depicted were recognized at the first meeting in the field. 

 Many beginners, however, will find it convenient to carry a pocket handbook 

 for reference on their field excursions. In preparing the present volume 

 we have avoided exhaustive synopses and keys, having found by experience 

 that most students pay little attention to them. We would direct all 

 students in using this volume to study carefully the plates which have been 

 arranged as far as possible to give a clear idea of the relative size and char- 

 acteristics of related species. These, in connection with the descriptive 

 text, should give a clear idea of the different orders, families and species of 

 our avifauna. We believe that all beginners should learn as soon as possible 

 to recognize the relationship of the birds which they wish to identify, 

 rather than to rely entirely on size and color, as is too often the case; that 

 is, when wishing to identify a duck, one can determine the species more 

 quickly by glancing at plates of ducks, than by running through a lengthy 

 key ; and to identify successfully a small bird it is of far greater importance 

 to note from its general structure and personality whether it is a sparrow 

 or a warbler, as the case may be, than to fix the attention too exclusively 

 on its colors. All students should become familiar with the characters of 

 orders and families as soon as possible. In the descriptions, the beginner 

 is directed particularly to certain parts which are printed in italics to give 

 definite "earmarks" for identification. 



Every bird student should keep a notebook, or better, two notebooks, 

 one for use in the field, and one a journal with removable leaves, or a card 

 system, in which a record of each species is kept in chronological order, and 

 each species in its proper order according to the prevalent classification. 

 Thus it will be possible to turn at once to any migration or breeding date, 

 or observations on the life history of any species in any given year. The 



