We cannot place a gun in the hands of these thousands of bird-lovers whom we are yearly developing; indeed most of them would refuse to use it. Specimens, therefore, are rarely available to them and we should make some special effort to meet their peculiar wants. The present volume has been prepared with this end in view. Identification of the bird in the bush is its sole end; an end, however, which we trust will prove but the beginning of a new and potent interest in nature.

Frank M. Chapman

PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION.

In the present edition of the Color Key the body of the book, aside from the correction of typographical errors, remains as it was in the preceding edition. The Systematic Table has been reset and brought up to July, 1912, the date of the publication of the latest supplement to the third edition of the American Ornithologists' Union's 'Check-List of North American Birds.' Two Appendixes are added. The first includes all the changes in nomenclature and descriptions of new birds which have been accepted by the A. O. U. Committee on Classification and Nomenclature since the publication of the Color Key in 1903; the second contains a list of faunal ornithological papers which it is hoped will add greatly to the reference value of the book.

F. M. C.

CONTENTS.

[Introduction][1]
[How to Learn a Bird's Name][1]
[How Birds Are Named][4]
[Synopsis of Orders and Families of North American Birds][9]
[Color Key to North American Birds][41]
[Systematic Table of North American Birds][257]
[Appendix I. Additions, Subtractions, Emendations][298]
[Appendix II. Bibliography][305]
[Index][333]