134 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



in the course of this narrative, give the history of 

 what I believe is the birth of a species of wild 

 song-bird within the past fifty years. Our first 

 knowledge of it, how long the type was soli- 

 tary, how rarely it was duplicated, how it became 

 more common, and how readily any good field- 

 naturalist may go forth almost at our doorsteps 

 and observe it to-day, all will be related. 



Now, the facts with regard to the changes 

 which I have exemplified by details bearing on 

 the bird fauna of the vicinity of Princeton, are 

 simply some of the steps in the evolution of the 

 several species mentioned. It must be borne in 

 mind that evolution does not necessarily mean 

 growth ; it does not necessarily mean betterment, 

 but may as frequently mean decadence and de- 

 generation. Nor must the reader consider for 

 a moment that a pessimistic point of view is 

 to be founded on the generalizations, which I 

 have tried to substantiate. Listen to the other 

 side. 



It is beyond debate that the wood-thrush, one 

 of the most lovable, charming, and dignified song- 

 birds, has vastly increased in proportion during 

 the last fifty years ; that its habits have been so 

 far modified that, while it was once a bird of the 

 deep forest, whence its name, it is now common in 

 every rural town in the vicinity of New York, and 

 its song is more frequent in Central Park, in the 



