PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION 



In preparing a revised edition of the "Handbook," it was decided 

 that any increase in size which would remove it from the ranks of true 

 handbooks was not to be considered for a moment. The question, then, 

 with which I have been confronted, was, how, within given limits, to meet 

 the wants of the bird student of today, who demands, primarity, infor- 

 mation concerning the bird in nature. To add materially to the space 

 given to each of the species contained in the first edition would result 

 in widely overstepping the bounds set by necessity. But, if it were not 

 possible to present a complete biography of every bird, at least a sug- 

 gestive biography of the bird could be given, and the expansion in size 

 permitted has been largely used for this purpose. 



This added material will be found in the introductory pages, which 

 number 116, as compared with 31 in the original edition. 



Here I have dealt with those phases of bird-life which, to a greater 

 or less extent, enter into the existence of every species. These chapters 

 on migration, song, nesting habits, color, structure and function, food, 

 etc., may be read, not only alone, but they are intended to be a guide to 

 the study in life of any bird to which we may devote our attention. In 

 short, they are designed to arouse an interest in the bird in relation 

 to its environment, and to stimulate and direct original observations. 



Aside from this Introduction, which constitutes both the largest 

 and most important addition to the new "Handbook," the balance 

 of the book has been thoroughly revised, much of it has been rewritten, 

 and not a little of it is wholly new. The nomenclature is that of the 

 last (1910) edition of the A. O. U. Check-List. The Ranges have also 

 been taken from this same authoritative source, and are a vast improve- 

 ment over those of the first edition of the "Handbook." In addition 

 to the migration notes given in preceding editions, data are now also 

 included for northern Ohio, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and southeastern 

 Minnesota. A new feature, which we believe will prove helpful, is the 

 series of nesting dates from localities often covering the breeding range 

 of the species. 



If space has prohibited giving all that is known about a bird, at 

 least one may say where recent information concerning it may be 

 found, and to this end I have added many references not contained in 

 earlier editions. This bibliographical feature of the new "Handbook" 

 is best shown in the Appendix giving references to the more important 

 faunal lists of birds in Eastern North America, a knowledge of which 

 is believed to be of the utmost importance to the local student. 



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