and took a
sun-bath") 279

"'What bird is that? Its song is good,'
And eager eyes
Go peering through the dusky wood
In glad surprise;
Then late at night when by his fire
The traveller sits,
Watching the flame grow brighter, higher,
The sweet song flits
By snatches through his weary brain
To help him rest."

HELEN HUNT JACKSON: _The Way to Sing_.

BRIEF FOREWORD

With sincere pleasure the author would acknowledge the uniform courtesy
of editors and publishers in permitting him to reprint many of the
articles comprised in this volume, from the various periodicals in which
they first appeared.

He also desires to express his special indebtedness to Mr. Charles E.
Aiken, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, whose contributions to the
ornithology of the West have been of great scientific value, and to
whose large and varied collection of bird-skins the author had frequent
access for the purpose of settling difficult points in bird
identification. This obliging gentleman also spent many hours in
conversation with the writer, answering his numerous questions with the
intelligence of the scientifically trained observer. Lastly, he kindly
corrected some errors into which the author had inadvertently fallen.

While the area covered by the writer's personal observations may be
somewhat restricted, yet the scientific bird-list at the close of the
volume widens the field so as to include the entire avi-fauna of
Colorado so far as known to systematic students. Besides, constant
comparison has been made between the birds of the West and the allied
species and genera of our Central and Eastern States. For this reason
the range of the volume really extends from the Atlantic seaboard to the
parks, valleys, and plateaus beyond the Continental Divide.

L. S. K.

All are needed by each one;
Nothing is fair or good alone.
I thought the sparrow's note from heaven,
Singing at dawn on the alder bough;
I brought him home, in his nest, at even;
He sings the song, but it cheers not now,
For I did not bring home the river and sky;--
He sang to my ear,--they sang to my eye.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON: _Each and All_.

Not from his fellows only man may learn
Rights to compare and duties to discern;
All creatures and all objects, in degree,
Are friends and patron