BIRDS OF NEW YORK STATE 5 



Importance of bird study. The fitting of a person to enjoy 

 and interpret nature as it is met from day to day by training 

 him to observe what is seen is itself a sufificient reason for the 

 circulation of such a collection of bird pictures as this one. But 

 a further justification for the expenditure of much time and 

 money in a very careful selection of these pictures is the fact 

 that birds play a most important part in the economic life of the 

 world. The function of birds in destroying weeds and harmful 

 insects and in maintaining the general balance between plant and 

 animal life and between diliferent species is coming to be well 

 understood. Bird study is of the greatest importance to agricul- 

 ture and calls for systematic and intelligent attention. The pic- 

 tures of this collection will be of permanent interest and their 

 usefulness will increase as they become better known and more 

 generally used by teachers and others. 



Bird songs and calls. Most books describing birds attempt to 

 indicate the songs and calls of different species. The notes of 

 this list omit them altogether not because they are unimportant 

 but for the obvious reason that sounds are not to be accjuired 

 visually. By keeping clearly in mind what elements of knowl- 

 edge are conveyed b}' pictures time will be saved and the ends 

 of visual instruction more fully attained. 



A. W. Abrams 



Chief, Visual Instruction Division 

 Albany, N. Y , December 15, 1919 



