INTRODUCTION h 



contain. These labels Include comments on each bird's 

 distinctive characters, a statement of its nesting and 

 winter range, the notes on its status at various localities, 

 to which I have just referred, and brief remarks on its 

 habits. 



It is the specimens, however, not the labels, which 

 warrant the publication of this little volume, for I hope 

 that, like their prototypes in the American Museum, they 

 will be a means of acquainting us with "the most eloquent 

 expressions of Nature's beauty, joy and freedom," and 

 thereby add to our lives a resource of incalculable value. 



While the birds in the cases are small, they ire drawn 

 and reproduced with such accuracy that no essential detail 

 of color or form is lost. Above all, they have the rare 

 merit of being all drawn to nearly the same scale. One 

 will soon learn therefore to measure the proportions of 

 unknown birds by comparison with those with which one 

 is familiar, and since relative size is the most obvious 

 character in naming birds in nature, this is a feature of 

 the first importance. 



The student is strongly urged first, to become thoroughly 

 familiar with the 'map' of a bird given in the frontispiece: 

 second, to use an opera- or field-glass when observing 

 birds: third, to write descriptions of unknown birds 

 while they are in view stating their length, shape, and as 

 many details of their color and markings as can be seen: 

 fourth, to remember that one is not likely to find birds 

 except in their regular seasons: and, fifth, to take this 

 book afield with him and make direct comparison of the 

 living bird with its colored figure. The wide margins 

 are designed for use in recording field-notes. 



Frank M. Chapman. 



American Museum of Natural History; 

 New York City. 



