PREFACE. ^4. 



THIS is the second volume of a series of books on 

 Natural History, undertaken by the author, with the 

 design of introducing into Sabbath School Libraries 

 arid Families, interesting and instructive truths, in- 

 stead of those fictitious stories which are now so com- 

 mon in the hands of children. 



The rapid sale of the Volume on Quadrupeds, pub- 

 lished a few months since, has required the author to 

 redeem the pledge then made, to continue the series, 

 if warranted by public approbation. That volume 

 has not only been added to a great number of Sabbath 

 School Libraries, but has found its way into many 

 Common Schools ; and the author is pleased to learn, 

 since its publication, that the subject of introducing 

 Natural History as a study into Common Schools, 

 has attracted the attention of many intelligent persons. 



He is also gratified to learn that the plan of gradu- 

 ating the pictures, so as to make them show the com- 

 parative dimensions of the animals, is considered by 

 the public, as not only new, but highly useful. The 

 same plan has, therefore, been adopted in the present 

 volume, and great care has been taken to render the 

 pictures accurate in this respect, and also to make 

 them correct representations of the living birds. In 

 doing this, considerable difficulty was experienced, 

 for in some instances, no correct drawing of the birds 

 could be found, and therefore the artist was under 

 the necessity of executing original drawings from 

 nature. 



A short description of each of the Quadrupeds and 

 Birds contained in these volumes, designed expressly 

 for Infant schools, is immediately to be published. 

 The pictures of the Quadrupeds have already been 

 introduced into many Infant Schools, without this 

 appendage ; but it is thought that concise descriptions, 

 in a separate form, would greatly assist both teachers 

 and learners. 



Hartford, Jan. 1, 1830. 



