OUE OWN BIRDS 



CHAPTEK I 



INTRODUCTION. 



DBSCRIPTION OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF BIRDS — CLASSI- 

 FICATION : EAPT0RE3, INSESSORES, S0AN30RES, RASORES, 

 QRALLATOREB, NATATORES — ON THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS — 

 THEIR PLUMAGE, INSTINCT, MIGRATION, NESTS, EGGS, GE- 

 NERIC DIVISIONS. 



It may be said that there is no part of the Animal 

 Kingdom in which a more general interest is felt 

 than in Birds. The great variety of their forms, the 

 beanty, and often the gaudiness of their plumage, 

 their graceful motions, their peculiar habits and man- 

 ners, and, above all, their sweet musical voices, all 

 conspire to assign them a most prominent position in 

 Nature's parterre. 



The birds of our own country, although less bril- 

 liantly attired than some others, must yet hold in our 

 affections the foremost place. What happy associa- 

 tions do we connect with them ! Who that listens to 



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