Chapter I: Preface

This book was written to supply a definite need. Its preparation was undertaken at the urgent request of booksellers and others who have felt the lack of a satisfactory medium of introduction to bird life for little children. As such, and in no sense whatever as a competitor with the many excellent books on this subject, but rather to supplement these, this volume has been written.

Its primary purpose is to interest the little child in, and to make him acquainted with, those feathered friends he is most likely to see. Because there is no method of approach to the child mind equal to the story, this method of conveying information has been adopted. So far as I am aware the book is unique in this respect. In its preparation an earnest effort has been made to present as far as possible the important facts regarding the appearance, habits and characteristics of our feathered neighbors. It is intended to be at once a story book and an authoritative handbook. While it is intended for little children, it is hoped that children of larger growth may find in it much of both interest and helpfulness.

Mr. Louis Agassiz Fuertes, artist and naturalist, has marvelously supplemented such value as may be in the text by his wonderful drawings in full color. They were made especially for this volume and are so accurate, so true to life, that study of them will enable any one to identify the species shown. I am greatly indebted to Mr. Fuertes for his cooperation in the endeavor to make this book of real assistance to the beginner in the study of our native birds.

It is offered to the reader without apologies of any sort. It was written as a labor of love--love for little children and love for the birds. If as a result of it even a few children are led to a keener interest in and better understanding of our feathered friends, its purpose will have been accomplished.

THORNTON W. BURGESS

CONTENTS

I JENNY WREN ARRIVES
Introducing the House Wren.

II THE OLD ORCHARD BULLY
The English or House Sparrow.

III JENNY HAS A GOOD WORD FOR SOME SPARROWS
The Song, White-throated and Fox Sparrows.

IV CHIPPY, SWEETVOICE AND DOTTY
The Chipping, Vesper and Tree Sparrows.

V PETER LEARNS SOMETHING HE HADN'T GUESSED
The Bluebird and the Robin.

VI AN OLD FRIEND IN A NEW HOME
The Phoebe and the Least Flycatcher.

VII THE WATCHMAN OF THE OLD ORCHARD
The Kingbird and the Great Crested Flycatcher.

VIII OLD CLOTHES AND OLD HOUSES
The Wood Peewee and Some Nesting Places.

IX LONGBILL AND TEETER
The Woodcock and the Spotted Sandpiper.

X REDWING AND YELLOW WING
The Red-winged Blackbird and the Golden-winged Flicker.

XI DRUMMERS AND CARPENTERS
The Downy, Hairy and Red-headed Woodpeckers.

XII SOME UNLIKE RELATIVES
The Cowbird and the Baltimore Oriole.

XIII MORE OF THE BLACKBIRD FAMILY
The Orchard Oriole and the Bobolink.

XIV BOB WHITE AND CAROL THE MEADOW LARK
The So-called Quail and the Meadow Lark.

XV A SWALLOW AND ONE WHO ISN'T
The Tree Swallow and the Chimney Swift.

XVI A ROBBER IN THE OLD ORCHARD
The Purple Martin and the Barn Swallow.

XVII MORE ROBBERS
The Crow and the Blue Jay.

XVIII SOME HOMES IN THE GREEN FOREST
The Crow, the Oven Bird and the Red-tailed Hawk.

XIX A MAKER OF THUNDER AND A FRIEND IN BLACK
The Ruffed Grouse and the Crow Blackbird.

XX A FISHERMAN ROBBED
The Osprey and the Bald-headed Eagle.

XXI A FISHING PARTY
The Great Blue Heron and the Kingfisher.

XXII SOME FEATHERED DIGGERS
The Bank Swallow, the Kingfisher and the Sparrow Hawk.

XXIII SOME BIG MOUTHS
The Nighthawk, the Whip-poor-will and Chuck-wills-widow.

XXIV THE WARBLERS ARRIVE
The Redstart and the Yellow Warbler.

XXV THREE COUSINS QUITE UNLIKE
The Black and White Warbler, the Maryland Yellow-Throat
and the Yellow-breasted Chat.

XXVI PETER GETS A LAME NECK
The Parula, Myrtle and Magnolia Warblers.

XXVII A NEW FRIEND AND AN OLD ONE
The Cardinal and the Catbird.

XXVIII PETER SEES ROSEBREAST AND FINDS REDCOAT
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the Scarlet Tanager.

XXIX THE CONSTANT SINGERS
The Red-eyed, Warbling and Yellow-throated Vireos.

XXX JENNY WREN'S COUSINS
The Brown Thrasher and the Mockingbird.

XXXI VOICE OF THE DUSK
The Wood, Hermit and Wilson's Thrushes.

XXXII PETER SAVES A FRIEND AND LEARNS SOMETHING
The Towhee and the Indigo Bunting.

XXXIII A ROYAL DRESSER AND A LATE NESTER
The Purple Linnet and the Goldfinch.

XXXIV MOURNER THE DOVE AND CUCKOO
The Mourning Dove and the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

XXXV A BUTCHER AND A HUMMER
The Shrike and the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

XXXVI A STRANGER AND A DANDY
The English Starling and the Cedar Waxwing.

XXXVII FAREWELLS AND WELCOMES
The Chickadee.

XXXVIII HONKER AND DIPPY ARRIVE
The Canada Goose and the Loon.

XXXIX PETER DISCOVERS TWO OLD FRIENDS
The White-breasted Nuthatch and the Brown Creeper.

XL SOME MERRY SEED-EATERS
The Tree Sparrow and the Junco.

XLI MORE FRIENDS COME WITH THE SNOW
The Snow Bunting and the Horned Lark.

XLII PETER LEARNS SOMETHING ABOUT SPOOKY
The Screech Owl.

XLIII QUEER FEET AND A QUEERER BILL
The Ruffed Grouse and the Crossbills.

XLIV MORE FOLKS IN RED
The Pine Grosbeak and the Redpoll.

XLV PETER SEES TWO TERRIBLE FEATHERED HUNTERS
The Goshawk and the Great Horned Owl.

THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN