CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



Importance of subject — Incompleteness of our information about 

 even the commonest species — ^Distinction between major and 

 minor habits — General activities or tricks of manner — 

 Greater importance of the latter in classification — ^Errors to 

 be avoided in observation . , . . pp. I- 1 2 



CHAPTER n 



The locomotion of birds — ^Hopping and walking — ^Reasons for 

 adoption of these gaits — Why waterfowl waddle — Swimming 

 and diving — ^Perching and climbing — ^Different methods of 

 performing these actions — Specialized birds which have taken 

 to different habits, as Ground-Parrots and Land Geese — Flight 

 and its varieties — Characteristic methods according to group 

 and size — Sailing and soaring flight — Speed . pp. 13-32 



CHAPTER HI 



The nutrition of birds — ^Various kinds of food, animal and vege- 

 table — ^Methods of and adaptations for obtaining it — Changes 

 of diet — Gluttony of some species — ^Power of discrimination 

 among foods, both vegetable and animal — The much-discussed 

 relations of birds to insects, especially butterflies pp. 33-76 



