174 
OEDEES OF BIEDS — INTEODU CTION 
you are fairly within another world. In mid- 
ocean, the stormy petrel causes you to wonder 
how it survives the storms. On the bald moun- 
tains of Alaska, or the barren shores of the Arc- 
tic Ocean, the snow-white ptarmigan may be 
the means of saving you from death by starva- 
tion; and when you discover new lands in the 
mysterious and forbidding waters of the Antarc- 
tic, the huge and helpless emperor penguin will 
be there to greet you. 
The greatest wonders of bird-life are the im- 
mense variety of its forms, and the manner in 
which the members of the various groups have 
been equipped to perform so many functions 
in the economy of life. It seems as if Nature 
has undertaken to furnish birds for every por- 
tion of the globe, and provide food and shelter 
for each in its own place. This is why different 
birds fly, wade, swim, dive, scratch, run and 
climb. 
How we Study Birds. — To-day, in the pri- 
mary schools, little children learn something of 
the wild-birds by which they are surrounded. 
These studies of Nature are but contributions of 
bricks and mortar toward what must be the com- 
plete building. It is now our purpose to lay 
the foundation for a structure of bird-knowl- 
edge which may be built upon all through life, 
as elaborately as the builder may choose. But, 
even those who wish to build only one story in 
height need just as correct a foundation as those 
who build the highest. 
Our purpose now is to offer the student a gen- 
eral introduction to the bird-world of North 
America, and illustrate its groups by about one 
hundred prominent types, all so typical and so 
representative that every one should know them 
all. Herein, the student is urged to pay special 
attention to the systematic groups set forth. 
Once these are permanently fixed in the mind, 
the detailed study of the different species of 
birds becomes a genuine joy. 
Learn well the various Orders of our birds, 
the prominent Families, and the prominent types 
representing them. Details regarding anatomy, 
seasonal changes, migration, breeding-habits, 
distribution and exact food-habits can be sought 
later on, and found in great abundance in the 
wealth of beautiful bird-books now available at 
small cost. In presenting herein the individual 
birds which have been chosen to represent the 
different groups, we shall strive to give in a few 
words an accurate and clearly defined general 
impression of each, but no more. 
Remembering the Orders of Birds. — The 
birds of North America are divided into seven- 
teen Orders, besides which two additional Or- 
ders exist elsewhere. Under different circum- 
stances, the student might find some difficulty 
in remembering these Orders, and the relations 
they bear toward each other. In this, however, 
we find ourselves aided by Nature in a remark- 
able way. 
By a very simple and natural arrangement, 
with fair regard to the forms and habits of birds, 
and their haunts upon the earth, it is possible to 
show upon a chart, the following facts : 
1. The various Orders of North American 
birds ; 
2. The relative size of each Order, in number 
of species; 
3. The haunts of each Order, on land or water, 
and 
4. Approximately, the rank of each order, 
from lowest to highest. 
On the accompanying chart of bird-life, an 
ideal panorama of land and water is divided be- 
tween the various Orders of North American 
birds, just as we find them in Nature. By a 
fortunate coincidence, the Orders that are lowest 
in the scale of natural classification are those con- 
taining the sea-birds, of deep water, which there- 
fore belong at the bottom of the chart. On the 
other hand, the birds that are highest in the zoo- 
logical scale — the perching birds — are also the 
birds of the tree-tops, and must be placed at the 
top of the chart. 
The birds of the shore, the river-bank, and the 
uplands have their respective areas in the mid- 
dle portion of the scale, and we are thus enabled 
to see almost at a glance the geography of the 
bird-world, at least as we find it in North 
America. 
Beginning with the highest, we shall endeavor 
to point out the leading characters of the various 
Orders, and the examples which best represent 
them. Just at present, however, it is not wise 
for the student to go too far into the subdivis- 
ions of the Orders, and only the most important 
Families will be mentioned by name. 
Any student who is unwilling to devote a few 
hours to learning the names and places of the 
