CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION. THE RELATIONS OF BIRDS TO MAX .... 1 I. THE METHODS OF STUDYING THE FOOD OF BIRDS 9 II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC ORNITHOLOGY 17 III. THE VEGETABLE FOOD OF BIRDS 27 IV. THE ANIMAL FOOD OF BIRDS 42 V. THE AMOUNT OF FOOD CONSUMED BY BIRDS 59 VI. BIRDS AS REGULATORS OF OUTBREAKS OF INJURIOUS ANIMALS 08 VII. THE RELATIONS OF BIRDS TO PREDACEOUS AND PARASITIC INSECTS 81 VIII. THE THRUSHES AND THEIR ALLIES 86 IX. THE NUTHATCHES, TITMICE, CREEPERS, AND WRENS .... 105 X. THE WARBLERS AND THE VIREOS 112 XI. THE SHRIKES, WAXWINGS, SWALLOWS, AND TANAGERS ... 122 XII. THE FINCHES AND SPARROWS 132 XIII. THE ENGLISH SPARROW AND THE STARLING 144 XIV. THE ORIOLES, BLACKBIRDS, CROWS, AND JAYS 156 XV. THE FLYCATCHERS. HUMMING-BIRDS, SWIFTS, AND NIGHTHAWKS 174 XVI. THE WOODPECKERS, KINGFISHERS, AND CUCKOOS 181 XVII. THE OWLS 195 XVIII. THE HAWKS, EAGLES, KITES, AND VULTURES 205 XIX. THE PIGEONS. GROUSE, AND SHORE-BIRDS 219 XX. THE WATER-BIRDS 239 vii viii CHAPTER CONTENTS PAGE XXI. THE CONSERVATION OF BIRDS. I. THE NON-GAME-BIRDS . 255 XXII. THE CONSERVATION OF BIRDS. II. THE GAME-BIRDS . . . 271 XXIII. PREVENTING THE DEPREDATIONS OF BIRDS 293 XXIV. ENCOURAGING THE PRESENCE OF BIRDS 304 APPENDIX I. THE BIRD LAW OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS UNION 317 II. FEDERAL BIRD LAWS 320 III. SOME FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF BIRD LAWS 328 IV. A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 331 INDEX 335