Introduction. 



Being a geologist it may appear strange for me to pose as 

 the author of a bird bulletin. No doubt I should apologize for 

 undertaking work of this nature. A simple statement of the 

 case will, I trust, make it plain to all why I have taken up this 

 study. For a number of years we have had constant inquiries 

 at the University for some literature on the birds of the state. 

 As time went on these became more numerous but there was no 

 one to take up the subject. Being the curator of the museum 

 I volunteered my services five years ago, and the board have 

 been very generous in granting me assistance. While I make 

 no pretense at being an ornithologist, I have always been deep- 

 ly interested in the birds, and at one time when a young. man 

 did spend considerable time in studying them. 



Upon taking up the work there were three avenues open 

 from which I could secure data: i, the published reports per- 

 taining to the birds of the state. 2, observations of ornitholo- 

 gists or collectors in the state that had not been published. 3, 

 to make a collection of skins, and secure as much data as possi- 

 ble first hand. While there was considerable material available 

 under the first and second divisions, yet there was a wide field 

 that had not been worked, and a great deal of valuable infor- 

 mation to be secured. A collection was immediately started 

 and with the valuable assistance of Chas. W. Gilmore, who 

 was a student at that time, but at the present is in the depart- 

 ment of palaeontology of the Carnegie Museum, rapid progress 

 was made. The collection at this time numbers a little less 

 than 600 skins ; but in many instances there is but a single skin 

 representing a species. 



