PREFACE. 
The pioneer in American ornithology 
was Alexander Wilson, a Scotch weaver 
and poet, who emigrated to this country in 
1794, and began the publication of his 
great work upon our birds in 1808. He 
Jigured and described three hundred and 
twenty species, fifty-six of them new to 
science. His death occurred in 1818, be- 
Fore the publication of his work had been 
completed. 
' But the chief of American ornithologists 
was John James Audubon. Audubon did 
not begin where Wilson left off. He was 
also a pioneer, beginning his studies and 
drawings of the birds probably as early as 
Wilson did his, but he planned larger and 
lived longer. He spent the greater part of 
his long life in the pursuit of ornithology, 
and was of a more versatile, flexible, and 
artistic nature than was Wilson. He was 
collecting the material for his work at the 
same time that Wilson was collecting his, 
