INTRODUCTION. 



In the present work, the authors have tried to bring together 

 into convenient and permanent form all the material published on 

 Massachusetts birds up to the date of the publication of this vi^ork ; 

 as well as to add as much original matter as possible, both gener- 

 ously supplied from outside sources, and from our personal obser- 

 vations. Since about 1833 Massachusetts has been a centre of 

 ornithological work, and the literature on Massachusetts birds 

 probably exceeds the ornithological literature of almost any other 

 state in the Union. The authors therefore ask the indulgence of 

 their readers, as their task has been a very difficult one, and omis- 

 sions, as well as errors may have crept in inadvertently. 



The plan adopted has been to offer, after a careful. discussion of 

 Topography and Faunal Areas, an Annotated List which first gives 

 the status of each species, then the dates of arrival and departure 

 of species in Massachusetts,, followed by annotations taken from 

 already published local lists of importance, and others supplied 

 by trustworthy ornithologists from desirable localities, especially 

 along the coast. The counties of the State, therefore, all save four, 

 Franklin, Suffolk, Plymouth and Barnstable, have lists from one or 

 more towns in them, or of the county as a whole, viz. — Berkshire 

 County list ; Hampshire : Amherst ; Hampden : Springfield ; 

 Worcester : Templeton ; Middlesex : Cambridge, vicinity of Wel- 

 lesley ; Norfolk : Brookline, Dedham, Cohasset ; Essex County 

 list and Ipswich ; Bristol County list ; Dukes : Martha's Vine- 

 yard ; Nantucket County list. ' Individuals, therefore, working in 

 restricted portions of this topographically varied State, will have, in 

 many cases, annotations applicable to their particular region. 

 The Annotated List is followed by Lists of Extinct and Extirpated 

 Species, Introduced Species, Species Erroneously Recorded, and 

 of Apocryphal Species. The Bibliography contains only the lists 

 published exclusively on Massachusetts birds. All original records, 

 and other published notes of especial interest are cited as foot- 

 notes in the text itself. The work is completed with two 

 Indexes, one of ScientTfic, and one of Vernacular Names. 



