In the preparation of this volume much valuable aid has been received from Messrs. E. W. Nelson, F. E. L. Beal, Wells W. Cooke, T. S. Palmer, H. C. Oberholser, and others of the United States Biological Survey, for which the author desires to make grateful acknowledgment. Parts of some of the chapters have previously appeared in the "Craftsman Magazine" and "Country Life in America," and are here reproduced by the courtesy of the editors. T. GILBERT PEARSON. {ix} CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v CHAPTER I. FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE BIRDS . . . . . . . . . . . 3 _Caution in Nest Hunting--Going Afield--Notebooks--Reporting Blanks--Bird Books--Movements of Birds--Artificial Cover in Hiding--The Umbrella Blind--Conclusion._ II. THE LIFE ABOUT THE NEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 _Nest Hunting--Behaviour when Nest Is Discovered--Lessons to Be Learned--Character of Material Used--Nests in Holes--Variety of Locations--Variation in Families--Meagre Nests._ III. DOMESTIC LIFE OF THE BIRDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 _Parental Care of Young--Sharing the Labours--Length of Mated Life--A Much-married Bluebird--The Faithful Canada Geese--Unmated Birds--Polygamy Among Birds--The Outcast._ IV. THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 _Moulting--Why Birds Migrate--The Gathering Flocks--The Usual Movement--The Travelling Shore Birds--The World's Migrating Champion--Perils of Migration--Keeping Migration Records._ V. THE BIRDS IN WINTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 _A Good Time for Field Walks--The Downy's Winter Quarters--Birds and the Night--The Food Question in Winter--When the Food Supply Fails--Wild Fowl Destroyed in the Oil Fields--Hunting Winter Birds._ VI. THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF BIRDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 _A Government Report--Plagues of Insects--Some Useful Birds--The Question of the Weed Seeds--Dealing with the Rodent Pests--The Terror That Flies by Night--A Seldom Recognised Blessing._ VII. CIVILIZATION'S EFFECT ON THE BIRD SUPPLY . . . . . . . 120 _Number of Birds in the World--Number in the Different States--Increase of Farm-land Species--Effect of Forest Devastation--Commercializing Birds--Wild Pigeon--Ivory-billed Woodpecker--Labrador Duck--Great Auk--Eskimo Curlew._ VIII. THE TRAFFIC IN FEATHERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 _War on the Sea Swallows--What the Ladies Wore--The Story of the Egrets--Amateur Feather Hunters--Maribou--Pheasants--Numidie--Goura--Women's Love for Feathers--Ostrich Feathers Are Desirable._