PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
Tue fact that a second edition of this volume is so 
soon required is the source of much personal gratifi- 
cation to the author. 
The purpose of the work is twofold: to give a 
necessarily brief but correct idea of the variety and 
character of bird-life almost everywhere about us, and 
to rouse such an interest in our birds in the minds 
of readers that they will be ready to act as their 
defenders rather than persecutors. Until the im- 
pression is firmly grounded in the minds of young 
people that birds are more interesting alive than 
dead, and the fact is recognized by all that bird-life, 
as a whole, is pre-eminently useful, there will continue 
that criminal destruction of our feathered friends 
which has already proved disastrous to many sections 
of the country. That an era of saner views may soon 
be ushered in is the desire of the author. 
Grateful acknowledgment is here made of many 
courtesies shown by the Curators of the Academy 
of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia to the author, 
while preparing the text and illustrations of the 
work. 
CrGrAs 
TRENTON, N. J., January, 1895. 
