Life Histories of North American Birds, by Arthur Cleveland Bent. Fair to as new condition, Paperback (1960s). Bent (1866 to 1954) was an American ornithologist, notable for this encyclopedic work, published 1919-1968 and completed posthumously. Following a request from the Smithsonian Institution in 1910, Bent started work on the project that would dominate the rest of his life. Using his own experiences, the published literature, and contributions from hundreds of others, he put together what was at the time by far the most comprehensive repository of knowledge about the biology of the birds of North America. His accounts were published progressively in the United States National Museum Bulletin and later republished by Dover.

Volumes included in this almost complete set are:

Life Histories of North American Diving Birds

Life Histories of North American Gulls and Terns

Life Histories of North American Petrels and Pelicans and Their Allies

Life Histories of North American Wild Fowl (pt 1)

Life Histories of North American Wild Fowl (pt 2)

Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds

Life Histories of North American Shore Birds (pt 1)

Life Histories of North American Shore Birds (pt 2)

Life Histories of North American Gallinaceous Birds

Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey (pt 1)

Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey (pt 2)

Life Histories of North American Woodpeckers

Life Histories of North American Cuckoos, Goatsuckers, Hummingbirds, and Their Allies (pt 2)

Life Histories of North American Nuthatches, Wrens, Thrashers, and Their Allies

Life Histories of North American Thrushes, Kinglets, and Their Allies

Life Histories of North American Wagtails, Shrikes, Vireos, and Their Allies

Life Histories of North American Wood Warblers

Life Histories of North American Blackbirds, Orioles, Tanagers, and Allies

Life Histories of North American Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees, Finches, Sparrows, and Allies (3 parts)

The volumes that are missing from the set include:

Life Histories of North American Cuckoos, Goatsuckers, Hummingbirds, and Their Allies (pt 1)

Life Histories of North American Flycatchers, Larks, Swallows, and Their Allies

Life Histories of North American Jays, Crows, and Titmice