250 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BIRD WORLD 
Families and the prominent types representing them. De- 
tails regarding anatomy, seasonal changes, migration, breed- 
ing habits, distribution and exact food habits can be sought 
later on, and found in great abundance in the wealth of 
beautiful bird-books now available at small cost. In present- 
ing herein the individual birds which have been chosen to 
represent the different groups, we shall strive to give in a few 
words an accurate and clearly defined general impression of 
each, but no more. 
REMEMBERING THE OrpERS oF Brirps.—The birds of 
North America are divided into seventeen Orders, besides 
which additional Orders exist elsewhere. For the convenience 
of American readers the American scheme of classification is 
followed; but that scheme leaves out entirely many Orders of 
birds of the Old World. Under different circumstances, the 
reader might find some difficulty in remembering these 
Orders, and the relations they bear toward each other. In 
this, however, we find ourselves aided by Nature in a remark- 
able way. 
By a very simple and natural arrangement, with fair re- 
gard to the forms and habits of birds, and their haunts upon ' 
the earth, it is possible to show upon a chart the following 
facts: 
1. The various Orders of North American birds; 
2. The relative size of each Order, in number of species; 
3. The haunts of each Order, on land or water, and 
4. Approximately, the rank of each order, from lowest to 
highest. 
On the accompanying chart of bird life an ideal panorama 
