PREFACE. 
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Since tlie time of Wilson and Audubon, no work lias been published upon American Ornithology, containing life-size representations 
of the Furious species that have been discovered since the labors of those great men were finished. The valuable productions of Cassin, 
as well as the revised edition of the ninth volume of the Pacific Rail Road Report, the joint labor of Messrs. Baird, Cassin and 
Lawrence had indeed appeared, affording in their plates beautiful illustrations in miniature of various species not before figured; but 
no attempt had been made to continue the -works of the first great American Naturalists, in a similar manner. 
And yet, by the discoveries made through the agency of the various government expeditions, which were always accompanied by 
a collector of specimens of natural history, as well as from different private sources, material continued to accumulate, until numerous 
members of our Avi fauna were obtained, which had never been illustrated in any work, many of them, indeed, known only by short 
descriptions, scattered throughout various publications. 
It occurred to me that perhaps it might serve in some degree the cause of this favorite branch of science, if these unfigured birds 
should be brought together in one work, their claims for specific rank investigated, and their relationship to other, longer and better 
known forms discussed. 
It was, therefore, with the desire to contribute, as might be in my power, towards the elucidation of the comparatively little 
known species of the Birds of North America, their habits and economy, as well as to render their forms familiar so far as life-size 
representation of them might serve to do, that I undertook the present publication. 
North America, as I have employed the term, designates the region north of the Rio Grande ; comprising the peninsulas of Lower 
California and Florida, and extending to the Arctic Ocean. Greenland is not included. 
The intention, announced in my prospectus, to comprise within the work only those species ivhich had not heretofore been figured 
in any American book exclusively devoted to Ornithology has been steadfastly adhered to, but all such inhabiting our continent, it is 
believed, have been included. From the rapid discovery of new forms, after the work was commenced, of which it was desirable to 
give representations, the author soon found that if in every instance one species should alone occupy an entire plate, it would be 
impossible to contain the material that was accumulating within the limits stated in the prospectus; therefore, in some cases it was 
necessary that species which were closely allied, should be figured upon the same plate ; this, however, in no way interfering with the 
final arrangement of the parts, nor disturbing the harmony of the complete work. In some instances, where species (?) have presented 
few and unreliable characters from others that were well-established, I have deemed it sufficient to give representations, in the 
Introduction, of the heads, feet, etc., and also, wherever it appeared profitable, the head of the species to which the doubtful one 
was closest allied, has also been introduced, so that comparisons might be easily and satisfactorily made. 
I have been fortunate in receiving assistance at various times from different Institutions, as well as individuals, and by these many 
species have been entrusted to me, otherwise not obtainable, for the purpose of illustration. In the majority of instances, I have 
acknowledged my obligations at the time the plate of the species was published, but in some cases, when many specimens came at 
different periods, from a single source, I preferred to express my indebtedness here. Prominent among those who have thus contributed 
toward the progress of this work, I desire to mention the Secretaries of the Smithsonian Institution, who placed in my hands a large 
proportion of the rarer species represented in my plates, and who have at all times evinced that interest and desire for the successful 
prosecution of this work, ivhich might be expected from those who have under their control the finest ornithological collection of 
American species extant. 
I desire particularly to express my thanks to the Officers of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, who have at all 
times allowed me every facility for examining and illustrating such specimens as I desired, that were contained in the magnificent 
collection under their ebaro-e. 
o 
To the Officers of the Chicago Academy of Natural Sciences, and to Dr. Whitney for the loan of unique specimens, I am greatly 
obliged. Also to Dr. Philip Lutley Sclatek, the distinguished Secretary of the London Zoological Society, I am greatly indebted for 
assistance at all times cheerfully rendered. To the Officers of the British Museum I am under many obligations for allowing drawings 
