THE PREFACE 



THE four writers from whom the chapters in these Bird Life 

 Stories have been drawn are especially notable for the absorb- 

 ing interest with which they pursued the study of birds. They were 

 all original investigators, exploring the trackless wilderness in their 

 search for knowledge. Especially was this true of Audubon and 

 Wilson, who laid the foundations of the science of ornithology in 

 America, but it was also true to a less extent of Nuttall and Bendire. 

 This interest which our authors brought to their work has of 

 course been communicated to their writings, so that their accounts of 

 our birds are on the whole the most interesting that have ever been 

 published. In the books of thjs series I have tried to select for each of 

 the chosen birds that account which seemed the best. I have modified 

 the language and punctuation only so far as was necessary to shorten 

 some sentences, and to render clear the meaning of others. Occasion- 

 ally I have omitted parts which had no special modern interest or 

 which our later knowledge has shown to be incorrect. In this work of 

 revision, as well as in the preparation of the additional notes, I have 

 had the assistance of Mr. Ralph Hoffmann, lecturer on ornithology for 

 the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and Dr. Ned Dearborn of the 

 Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, both expert ornithologists who are 

 thoroughly conversant with the most recent developments of the 

 science. , The specimens shown in the colored plates were collected and 

 mounted by Doctor Dearborn expressly for this work, and the colored 

 plates themselves have been made under his supervision. To both of 

 these gentlemen I am glad to express my hearty thanks, as well 

 as to the officers of the Smithsonian Institution, for permission to use 

 such of the writings of the late Major Bendire as I desired. 



C. M. W. 

 Durham, New Hampshire, September, igoj. 



S 



