PREFACE xi 



Allen, Maurice C. Blake, H. A. Purdie, F. 

 P. Spalding, and others have furnished 

 additional information concerning certain 

 species already listed, which is duly cred- 

 ited to them respectively in the notes on 

 those species. I am also indebted to the 

 "Ornithologist and Oologist," to Mr. Wil- 

 liam Brewster's " Birds of the Cambridge 

 Region," to Dr. Townsend's "Birds of 

 Essex County," to Mr. Bradford Torrey's 

 essay " On Boston Common," and to Mr. 

 Justin Winsor's " Memorial History of 

 Boston" for quotations which have been in- 

 corporated in the text. 



In making my acknowledgments I can- 

 not omit the name of one other who was 

 much my companion in the earliest years of 

 observation, who was also the first to sug- 

 gest to me the writing of this book, and by 

 whose loyal, inspiring friendship the flame 

 was kept alive by which the end has been 

 attained, Mr. Guy Emerson of Cambridge. 



To my friend Mr. Bradford Torrey I am 

 peculiarly indebted for his generous " Intro- 

 ductory Note" and for the pleasure of hav- 



