Our northern and eastern birds. Containing descriptions of the birds of the northern and eastern states and British provinces; together with a history of their habits, times of arrival and departure, their distribution, food, song, time of breeding, and a careful and accurate description of their nests and eggs ..

Front matter

ER

Bs eee a a .

Face

Preface

S we review the large list of books on American ornithology now in print, it seems almost incredible that, when the first edition of the “Ornithology and

Odlogy of New England” was published in 1867, there was hardly another book to be obtained on our birds, adapted to popular use.

he large and very expensive work of Audubon, and

the smaller ones by Nuttall and Wilson, comprised about everything there was, and these were to be found by accident only on the book-dealers’ shelves, and were held at prices quite beyond the reach of the masses.

Repeated inquiries from numerous persons interested in ornithology convinced me that there was a great and increasing want for a popular work on our birds, and in response to them I set about its preparation and publication.

In this book I corrected certain important errors that had been published in relation to the breeding habits of some of the species, and added new facts to our knowledge respecting those of others. I also gave pretty elaborate descriptions of the nests and eggs of many that had not been before described.

Up to that period comparatively little attention had been devoted to odlogy in this country, and very few of our professed ornithologists were well acquainted with the eggs of a large proportion of our birds.

Hardly one ornithologist in ten, at the time the book was first issued, could identify the nest and eggs of such birds as the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bird, Rusty Blackbird, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, and scores of others, such as are now regarded as common, and are found in the collections of all who make any claims as ornithologists.

This seems hard to believe, but there are few who iv PREFACE.

realize how rapidly our knowledge in this department has advanced within the last fifteen years. ;

Whether or not the book on the “ Birds of New England” aided this advance, it certainly added to the number of observers. Ornithology seemed to become popularized among us at once, and it was astonishing to see how rapidly each edition was succeeded by another.

The demand still continues, notwithstanding there are now a number of other books to be obtained, some of which cover a portion of the ground occupied by this work.

Some of these books are reliable and valuable, and others are probably destined to scarcely more than a passing popularity, although the author of one makes the pretentious claim that it practically supersedes this book.

In the present edition a portion of the biographies has been entirely rewritten and enlarged, and new illustrations added, all of which, it is hoped, will add to the value of the work.

It has been decided in this issue to change the title of the book. Treating as it does of many birds which occur in States outside of New England, as well as within its limits, there seems no impropriety in removing from _ the title the suggestion of exclusiveness conveyed by the former name, and under the not inappropriate title of “Our Northern and Eastern Birds,” it is hoped that the book will meet with a continuation of the favor it received when apparently treating only of the species found in New England. '

In the preparation of the work I was greatly indebted to Professor Spencer F. Baird, of Washington, for his generous permission to use the descriptions of the birds which had been given by him in the ninth volume of the Pacific Railroad Reports; for this kindness I again return thanks, and to the many other friends who lent me valuable assistance I also renew acknowledgments.

Epwarp A. SAMUELS.

Boston, April 26, 1883.

Contents

Page CHARACTERISTICS OF ORDERS . . . . . 1 1 1 we tee 4

ORDER I.—RAPTORES, ROBBERS.

Family Falconide, Falcons : ot ge ee ae wT Sub-Family Falconine, Falcons proper a aS Hee (Sele BR es a oe 7 Accipitrine, Hawks . ........66 46 « «2 Buteonine, Buzzard-Hawks. . ....... «34 Aquiline, Eagles 2... 1. 1. 1 we eee AD Family Strigide, Owls. . . BOR ABS ae Sas ogee ae ae 160 Sub-Family Bubonine, Horned Owls a SS a I he, ee BO) Syrmine,Gray Owls . . ...... es. 71 Nycteinine, Day Owls. . 2. 2. 1. 1. 1. we ew) O17