VI PREFACE. 



to Mr. Bailey's untimely death and Mr. Mosher's occupation 

 in a new field, it was deemed best to publish some of the 

 field notes of these observers with little editing, in order to 

 avoid any possible distortion of their evidence. 



In presenting in Chapter I. some of the evidence, given by 

 the earlier writers, regarding the utility of birds as protectors 

 of crops and trees, it has been necessary to use such material 

 as was obtainable. No carefully guarded experiments or 

 observations in this direction were made until the latter part 

 of the nineteenth century, and it is only recently that scien- 

 tific investigators have been employed in this little-known 

 field. It is not an alluring task for the scientist, in which 

 his work brings him neither material reward, credit, nor 

 honor. 



That portion of the final chapter which treats of the means 

 of attracting birds is drawn mainly from six years' experience 

 at the author's home at Wareham, Mass. The first three 

 chapters were mainly written there. Most authors quoted 

 or cited in these chapters are given full credit. 



The remaining chapters, which are largely based on the 

 author's own investigations and observations, were written 

 and the proof was read while he was away from home, in the 

 woods, or travelling from place to place, often at a distance 

 from any ornithological library. Under such circumstances 

 it was impossible to quote verbatim, but in most cases authors 

 are named when facts have been gathered from their writings. 



The averages of the components of the food of each species 

 are taken mainly from the publications of the Bureau of Bio- 

 logical Survey of the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture, except where credit is otherwise given. 



Thanks are due to Dr. L. O. Howard, who has read 

 critically that part of the introduction devoted to insects, 

 and the author is greatly indebted to him for information ; 

 also, more than he can tell, to Mr. William Brewster for 

 counsel and suggestions ; and especially to Mr. J. A. Farley, 

 who read a large part of the manuscript. 



The limited time at the author's disposal has prevented 

 such painstaking revision and abridgment of the manuscript 



