174 



OEDEES OF BIEDS— INTEODUCTION 



you are fairly within another world. In mid- 

 ocean, the stormy petrel causes you to wonder 

 how it survives the storms. On the bald moun- 

 tains of Alaska, or the barren shores of the Arc- 

 tic Ocean, the snow-white ptarmigan may be 

 the means of saving you from death by starva- 

 tion; and when you discover new lands in the 

 mysterious and fort^idding waters of the Antarc- 

 tic, the huge and helpless emperor penguin will 

 be there to greet you. 



The greatest wonders of bird-life are the im- 

 mense variety of its forms, and the manner in 

 which the members of the various groups have 

 been equipped to perform so many functions 

 in the economy of life. It seems as if Nature 

 has undertaken to furnish birds for every por- 

 tion of the globe, and provide food and shelter 

 for each in its own place. This is why different 

 birds fly, wade, swim, dive, scratch, run and 

 climb. 



How we Study Birds. — To-day, in the pri- 

 mary schools, little children learn something of 

 the wild-birds by which they are surrounded. 

 These studies of Nature are but contributions of 

 bricks and mortar toward what must be the com- 

 plete building. It is now our purpose to lay 

 the foundation for a structure of bird-knowl- 

 -edge which may be built upon all through life, 

 as elaborately as the builder may choose. But, 

 even those who wish to build only one story in 

 height need just as correct a foundation as those 

 who build the highest. 



Our purpose now is to offer the student a gen- 

 eral introduction to the bird-world of North 

 America, and illustrate its groups by about one 

 hundred prominent types, all so typical and so 

 representative that every one should know them 

 all. Herein, the student is urged to pay special 

 attention to the systematic groups set forth. 

 Once these are permanently fixed in the mind, 

 the detailed study of the different species of 

 birds becomes a genuine joy. 



Learn well the various Orders of our birds, 

 the prominent Families, and the prominent types 

 representing them. Details regarding anatomy, 

 seasonal changes, migration, breeding-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 presenting 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 Orders of Birds. — The 

 birds of North America are divided into seven- 

 teen Orders, besides which two additional Or- 

 ders exist elsewhere. Under different circum- 

 stances, the student 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 regard 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-Ufe, an 

 ideal panorama of land and water is divided be- 

 tween the various Orders of North American 

 birds, just as we find them in Nature. By a 

 fortunate coincidence, the Orders that are lowest 

 in the scale of natural classification are those con- 

 taining the sea-birds, of deep water, which there- 

 fore belong at the bottom of the chart. On the 

 other hand, the birds that are highest in the zoo- 

 logical scale — the perching birds — are also the 

 birds of the tree-tops, and must be placed at the 

 top of the chart. 



The birds of the shore, the river-bank, and the 

 uplands have their respective areas in the mid- 

 dle portion of the scale, and we are thus enabled 

 to see almost at a glance the geography of the 

 bird-world, at least as we find it in North 

 America. 



Beginning with the highest, we shall endeavor 

 to point out the leading characters of the various 

 Orders, and the examples which best represent 

 them. Just at present, however, it is not wise 

 for the student to go too far into the subdivis- 

 ions of the Orders, and only the most important 

 Families will be mentioned by name. 



Any student who is unwilling to devote a few 

 hours to learning the names and places of the 



