lus an
ounce of example is worth a pound of precept. If another sees you and
me doing a thing joyfully, earnestly, we need scarcely say to him, "Go
thou and do likewise."

There is not much in the book that is technical, yet it aims at
scientific accuracy in all of its statements, no bird being described
whose status in the avian system has not been determined. If strange
exploits are sometimes recited, the author has simply to say that he
has been veracious in all of his statements, and that all the stories
are "true bird stories." The author modestly believes that it will not
be found uninteresting to nature lovers in general.

Much of the material included in this volume has previously appeared in
various periodicals, to the publishers of which the writer would hereby
make grateful acknowledgment for their courtesy in waiving their
copyright privileges. A number of the journals are given due credit
elsewhere in the book.

THE AUTHOR.

_THE TABLE OF CONTENTS_

THE PREFACE
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
BEGINNING THE STUDY
MAKING NEW FRIENDS
WILDWOOD MINSTRELS
CHICKADEE WAYS
THE NUTHATCH FAMILY
A FEATHERED PARASITE
A BLUE CANNIBAL
A HANDSOME SCISSORSTAIL
AN ALPINE ROSY FINCH
HAPPENINGS BY THE WAY
ODDS AND ENDS
WAYSIDE OBSERVATIONS
TROUBLE AMONG THE BIRDS
A BIRD'S EDUCATION
ARE BIRDS SINGERS OR WHISTLERS?
BIRD FLIGHT
A BIRD'S FOOT

_THE ILLUSTRATIONS_

AMERICAN SPARROW-HAWK . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_

CHIPPING SPARROW

YELLOW WARBLER

CHICKADEE

NUTHATCH

BLUE JAY

PEWEE, OR PHOEBE

SONG SPARROW

CARDINAL

WHITE-EYED VIREO

BALTIMORE ORIOLE

BOB-WHITE, OR QUAIL

ROBIN

MEADOW LARK

BARN SWALLOW

SPOTTED SANDPIPER, OR "PEET-WEET"

BEGINNING THE STUDY

Why should not people ride natural history hobbies as well as other
kinds of hobbies? Almost all persons become interested in some special
study, recreation, or pastime, and their choice is not always as
profitable as the selection of a specific branch of nature lore would
be. The writer confesses that he would rather pursue a bright, lilting
bird or butterfly than a bounding tennis-ball or football, and he finds
the chase every whit as exciting and the knowledge gained of more
permanent value; and he says this without in anywise intending to
discountenance healthful games and athletic exercises, but simply to
express a preference. What could be more fascinating, f