WM. G. PRAEGER. 



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uses of ornithology we want the knowledge of living birds ; 

 and that they must be spoken of, written of, or sung of in a 

 living language. 



It is in plain English that the most useful work of the 

 bird-lover must be done. Only in their own language can 

 the interest of school children in birds be aroused ; can the 

 farmer be taught his truest friends ; can the legislature be 

 induced to give birds the needed legal protection ; can ap- 

 peals be made against thoughtless destruction of so many 

 species for fashion's sake ; can the study of birds be pop- 

 ularized and the love of birds increased. 



When the Committee of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union published their well known Check-list, they found it 

 necessary to preface it with some 70 pages of principles, 

 canons and recommendations to govern the nomenclature 

 used therein. Scientific names may perhaps be governed 

 by such, but language is a growth and not a creation, and 

 for our popular names no such hard and fast rules can be 

 laid down. Nevertheless, there are perhaps principles of 

 common sense and canons of good taste that may help us 

 to give to each of our birds a characteristic, workable, and 

 euphonious name. 



The American people are performing a great work almost 

 unconsciously. As the mythical man in Eden is said to have 

 given names " to the fowls of the air and to every beast of 

 the field," so we have to give a name to every living crea- 

 ture in this new land of ours. 



That the vernacular names of our birds are not at present 

 in an entirely satisfactory state every one who has occasion 

 to use them will admit ; and the same will be noticed of the 

 names of other animals, especially fishes, and of flowers and 

 trees ; and what I am saying will apply more or less to all 

 these. Every one who has tried to get information on birds 

 from friends, both intelligent and willing, has found that 

 confusion in names bars all chance of obtaining reliable in- 

 formation. Take for instance the names of our Ducks. In 

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