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

PREFACE
CHAPTER I. Jenny Wren Arrives.
CHAPTER II. The Old Orchard Bully.
CHAPTER III. Jenny Has a Good Word for Some Sparrows.
CHAPTER IV. Chippy, Sweetvoice, and Dotty.
CHAPTER V. Peter Learns Something He Hadn't Guessed.
CHAPTER VI. An Old Friend In a New Home.
CHAPTER VII. The Watchman of the Old Orchard.
CHAPTER VIII. Old Clothes and Old Houses.
CHAPTER IX. Longbill and Teeter.
CHAPTER X. Redwing and Yellow Wing.
CHAPTER XI. Drummers and Carpenters.
CHAPTER XII. Some Unlikely Relatives.
CHAPTER XIII. More of the Blackbird Family.
CHAPTER XIV. Bob White and Carol the Meadow Lark.
CHAPTER XV. A Swallow and One Who Isn't.
CHAPTER XVI. A Robber in the Old Orchard.
CHAPTER XVII. More Robbers.
CHAPTER XVIII. Some Homes in the Green Forest.
CHAPTER XIX. A Maker of Thunder and a Friend in Black.
CHAPTER XX. A Fisherman Robbed.
CHAPTER XXI. A Fishing Party.
CHAPTER XXII. Some Feathered Diggers.
CHAPTER XXIII. Some Big Mouths.
CHAPTER XXIV. The Warblers Arrive.
CHAPTER XXV. Three Cousins Quite Unlike.
CHAPTER XXVI. Peter Gets a Lame Neck.
CHAPTER XXVII. A New Friend and an Old One.
CHAPTER XXVIII. Peter Sees Rosebreast and Finds Redcoat.
CHAPTER XXIX. The Constant Singers.
CHAPTER XXX. Jenny Wren's Cousins.
CHAPTER XXXI. Voices of the Dusk.
CHAPTER XXXII. Peter Saves a Friend and Learns Something.
CHAPTER XXXIII. A Royal Dresser and a Late Nester.
CHAPTER, XXXIV. Mourner the Dove and Cuckoo.
CHAPTER XXXV. A Butcher and a Hummer.
CHAPTER XXXVI. A Stranger and a Dandy.
CHAPTER XXXVII. Farewells and Welcomes.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. Honker and Dippy Arrive.
CHAPTER XXXIX. Peter Discovers Two Old Friends.
CHAPTER XL. Some Merry Seed-Eaters.
CHAPTER XLI. More Friends Come With the Snow.
CHAPTER XLII. Peter Learns Something About Spooky.
CHAPTER XLIII. Queer Feet and a Queerer Bill.
CHAPTER XLIV. More Folks in Red.
CHAPTER XLV. Peter Sees Two Terrible Feathered Hunters.