PREFACE. vii 



Peale and Son, of the Museum of this city. Other tints of equal 

 excellence are confidently expected from the same quarter. 



In the prosecution of his undertaking, the author has been 

 honoured with communications of facts, from various quarters of 

 the United States, relative to the subject on which he is engaged. 

 For all these he returns his most grateful acknowledgments; and 

 gladly indulges the idea that they will become more and more fre- 

 quent. The subjects of his history being in themselves so nume- 

 rous, and dispersed over such extensive regions, the observations 

 of one man, be his industry and enterprise what they may, are alto- 

 gether insufficient to embrace the whole; and unless assisted by the 

 experience and observations of others, a thousand interesting facts 

 and minutiae of character, would unavoidably escape him, which 

 might otherwise have formed the most valuable part of his publi- 

 cation. Another particular, equally interesting to him^ he would 

 beg leave to suggest to the consideration of those ingenious friends 

 who may honor him with their correspondence. As the provin- 

 cial names of many of our birds are so multiplied, and frequently 

 so local, as to be altogether unknown in other districts ; and, in the 

 communications of those unacquainted with the scientific names 

 and arrangement, render it sometimes very difficult to determine 

 what particular species is really meant; if, in addition to well au- 

 thenticated facts, preserved skins of such birds as are supposed 

 rare or new, could be conveniently transmitted to the author, the 

 obligation v/ould be greatly increased, and properly acknowledged. 

 Several gentlemen, living in remote parts of the union, and others 

 trading between the ports of North and South America, having 



