﻿NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  On 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  rapidly 
  changing 
  natural 
  conditions 
  in 
  this 
  country 
  

   due 
  to 
  settlement 
  and 
  cultivation, 
  and 
  because 
  of 
  the 
  wanton 
  and 
  

   thoughtless 
  destruction 
  of 
  forests 
  and 
  wild 
  life 
  which 
  has 
  characterized 
  

   the 
  last 
  century, 
  there 
  is 
  most 
  urgent 
  need 
  of 
  public 
  sentiment 
  asserting 
  

   itself 
  in 
  the 
  protection 
  and 
  encouragement 
  of 
  our 
  wild 
  birds, 
  if 
  this 
  State 
  

   is 
  to 
  preserve 
  the 
  remnant 
  of 
  its 
  heritage 
  of 
  game 
  birds 
  whose 
  abundance 
  

   astounded 
  the 
  early 
  explorers, 
  and 
  if 
  we 
  are 
  to 
  keep 
  the 
  song 
  birds 
  which 
  

   lend 
  such 
  a 
  charm 
  to 
  country 
  life 
  and 
  insure 
  the 
  farmer 
  against 
  the 
  outbreak 
  

   of 
  insect 
  pests 
  which 
  constitute 
  the 
  most 
  serious 
  menace 
  to 
  the 
  agri- 
  

   cultural 
  wealth 
  of 
  the 
  State. 
  

  

  During 
  the 
  64 
  years 
  which 
  have 
  elapsed 
  since 
  DeKay's 
  account 
  of 
  New 
  

   York 
  ornithology 
  was 
  published, 
  100 
  species 
  of 
  birds 
  have 
  been 
  added 
  to 
  

   our 
  State 
  list 
  and 
  material 
  advancement 
  has 
  been 
  made 
  in 
  our 
  knowledge 
  

   of 
  the 
  habits 
  and 
  distribution 
  of 
  the 
  commoner 
  species. 
  The 
  present 
  

   report 
  has 
  been 
  prepared 
  with 
  the 
  double 
  purpose 
  of 
  bringing 
  together 
  as 
  

   completely 
  as 
  possible 
  our 
  knowledge 
  of 
  New 
  York 
  birds 
  at 
  the 
  present 
  

   time 
  ; 
  by 
  affording 
  the 
  intelligent 
  public 
  an 
  account 
  of 
  every 
  species 
  known 
  

   to 
  occur 
  within 
  the 
  State, 
  accompanied 
  with 
  the 
  illustrations 
  so 
  success- 
  

   fully 
  executed 
  by 
  Mr 
  Fuertes, 
  it 
  is 
  hoped 
  that 
  the 
  rising 
  generation 
  will 
  

   become 
  sufficiently 
  acquainted 
  with 
  the 
  beauty, 
  interest 
  and 
  value 
  of 
  our 
  

   birds 
  to 
  appreciate 
  and 
  protect 
  them 
  more 
  efficiently. 
  

  

  For 
  assistance 
  in 
  preparing 
  this 
  report 
  the 
  author 
  is 
  indebted 
  to 
  all 
  

   students 
  of 
  New 
  York 
  birds 
  who 
  are 
  mentioned 
  in 
  the 
  introduction 
  to 
  the 
  

   summary 
  of 
  the 
  published 
  and 
  county 
  lists; 
  to 
  Dr 
  Clarke, 
  Director 
  

   of 
  the 
  State 
  Museum, 
  at 
  whose 
  suggestion 
  the 
  work 
  was 
  begun, 
  and 
  to 
  his 
  

   corps 
  of 
  assistants 
  who 
  have 
  helped 
  in 
  the 
  study 
  of 
  the 
  State's 
  specimens 
  

   and 
  records; 
  to 
  the 
  authorities 
  of 
  the 
  United 
  States 
  National 
  Museum 
  in 
  

   Washington, 
  especially 
  Professor 
  Ridgway, 
  Dr 
  Richmond 
  and 
  Mr 
  Riley 
  

   who 
  have 
  furnished 
  free 
  access 
  to 
  the 
  specimens 
  in 
  the 
  Smithsonian 
  

   collections 
  of 
  birds 
  and 
  eggs; 
  to 
  the 
  authorities 
  of 
  the 
  Biological 
  Survey, 
  

   United 
  States 
  Department 
  of 
  Agriculture, 
  who 
  have 
  placed 
  their 
  extensive" 
  

   collection 
  of 
  records 
  and 
  specimens 
  at 
  his 
  disposal, 
  especially 
  to 
  Dr 
  Merriam, 
  

  

  