Although there have been many writings based upon 

 Natural History and the various branches of the great 

 natural world, yet the author of these pages feels at 

 liberty to pen down a few thoughts and observations 

 upon this interesting subject. The work will not be 

 confined to any systematic order or grouping, but 

 will be written in a simple way, just as it presents 

 itself to the mind of one who has a strong love for 

 nature in all her forms and appearances. Without 

 attempting to do justice to the many creatures or 

 objects which surround us, the author has endeavored 

 to write an interesting treatise upon those things 

 which an observant person sees when rambling for 

 pleasure or profit. The main object in presenting this 

 is a desire to relate more fully the habits, food and 

 songs of our common eastern birds, especially those 

 which we see in our rovings through the woods or over 

 the upland and meadow. Many of the writings now 

 before us are inclined to slight to some extent our 

 home pets, and rove away to distant lands, to describe 

 their inhabitants. Without the least feeling of criti- 

 cism toward our brave naturalists who have handed 

 down so many valuable works, I will endeavor to give 

 a short historical sketch of a few of them, not includ- 

 ing foreign species of any class. This is not because I 

 lack interest in the many creatures of the other coun- 

 tries of the world, but because my attention and inter- 

 est are extended to those which are near at hand first, 

 and if the time should ever come in which there ap- 



