INTRODUCTORY NOTE 



Contents. This collection of pictures contains 700 titles 

 representing 162 species. It is confined to birds of New York, 

 and includes most of the more common and many of the rarer 

 ones. Additions will continue to be made, but in its present 

 form the list is exceptionally complete and representative. 



Character. The collection is distinctive in that it consists 

 almost exclusively of photographic productions from living 

 specimens of birds, nests and eggs in their normal position, and 

 actual habitats. No drawings are included except that of the 

 topography of the bird and seven migration maps. The only 

 museum specimens included are those of the auk and the 

 passenger pigeon, now extinct birds, and two others used to 

 illustrate special features. Of course birds too young to have 

 finally left the nest were in some cases placed upon a perch for 

 photographing. Some adults were photographed at feeding 

 stations or on specially placed perches, but one has only to 

 compare these pictures with drawings and photographic repre- 

 sentations of museum specimens to appreciate the important 

 differences in appearance and attitude between living birds and 

 inanimate specimens and drawings. Several years have been 

 .spent in the preparation of this collection. 



Sources of the collection. Users of these pictures are chiefly 

 indebted to the work of two exceptional bird students and pho- 

 tographers of the State, Dr Arthur A. Allen of Cornell University 

 and Guy A. Bailey of the Geneseo State Normal School. The 

 following is a list of contributors with the number of pictures 

 furnished by each: 



Arthur A. Allen 230 T. L. Hankinson 3 



Guy A. Bailey 220 Francis Harper 23 



William L. Baily 3 H. S. Hathaway 1 



R. H. Beebe 32 R. W. Hegner 7 



C. W. Beebe 3 H.W.Nash 1 



G.S.Britten 1 P. B. Peabody 2 



Verdi Burtch 33 C. F. Stone 9 



Frank M. Chapman 15 E. G. Tabor 10 



William Dutcher 2 C. O. Widman 1 



G. C. Embody 1 F. A. Van Zant 2 



Clyde C. Hamilton 1 



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