The  object  of  this  book,  I  may  repeat,  is  to  stimulate  the  love
of  birds  ;  and  though  descriptions. of  u^sts  and  eggs  are  given,  as
well  as  instructions  for  egg Ac'dl^cttilg^  it  must  be  borne  in  mind
that  it  is  generally  neither  necessia$  nOr  advisable  that  collections
of  eggs  should  be  made.  Remember  that,  as  Mr.  Frank  Chapman
says,  the  two  points  of  interest  yi^.bird's  egg  are  "  what  the  egg
is  in  and  what  is  in  the  egg."  1fl'ti,cTi>inore  knowledge  may  be
gained  by  observing  the  birds  themselve-s  throughout  the  breeding
season  than  by  taking  the  eggs.  Leave  egg-collecting  to  those
who  are  able,  through  scientific  study,  to  make  use  of  such  col-
lections and  devote  your  leisure  hours  to  the  far  more  interesting
process  of  collecting  knowledge  which  will  lend  increased  interest
to  your  every-day  existence  and  give  you  new  insight  into  the
fascinating  world  of  bird-life.
10


I     NKW    YORK

ToZLIC  LIBRARY


c


A»TOR,   LENOX   AND
TILDC*  FOUNDATION*.
