PREFACE 



and I have striven to bring together much material of 

 interest to the sportsman which is now scattered 

 through many volumes and periodicals, and is thus not 

 easily accessible. 



The plan of the book does not differ essentially from 

 that of (f American Duck Shooting." Its -first part is 

 devoted to descriptions of the birds and their hab- 

 its, the second part to the various methods employed 

 in taking the birds and the aids to shooting dogs, guns 

 and ammunition; while in the third is discussed the 

 shooting of the future. 



I have received at several hands valuable assistance, 

 which I desire here to acknowledge. Dr. A. K. Fisher, 

 of the Biological Survey of Washington, a keen sports- 

 man and experienced ornithologist, kindly read over 

 the manuscript. Mr. B. Waters, distinguished as a 

 crack shot, and especially learned in the hunting dog, 

 is chieny responsible for the chapters especially de- 

 voted to dog and gun. To the kindness of Mrs. Ver- 

 non Bailey and of the Houghton, Mifdin Co. I owe th# 

 excellent plates of the scaled quail and Mearns' quail, 

 taken from her "Handbook of Birds of the Western 

 United States." Messrs. Little, Brown & Company 

 give me permission to reproduce several cuts from 

 Ba'ird, Brewer and Ridgway's "North American 

 Birds." The Forest and Stream Publishing Company 



ix 



