Preface. ix 



nests with. And rare good fun it was. I greatly en- 

 joyed the sport; and I am quite sure the birds were 

 dehghted. They hardly ever missed a feather, and 

 they seemed to like little curly ones oft' white Ducks 

 the best of all. 



In the pages of this little book I have endeavoured 

 to arouse and encourage such an interest in njy 

 young readers as my dear old grandfather kindled 

 in me. They will enjoy a great advantage over me 

 in being able, through the achievements of my 

 brother's camera, to examine accurate pictures of 

 the birds living, loving, and labouring amidst their 

 natural surroundings. 



The work in no way pretends to be amthing in 

 the nature of a scientific treatise, but rather a chatty, 

 though, so far as care and pains can make it, accurate 

 little volume dealing with just such phases of bird 

 life as are likely to attract attention and, I hope, set 

 my readers observing and inquiring for themselves. 



For valuable assistance most ungrudgingly given 

 in the preparation of the book we have to ex- 

 press our grateful thanks to Cameron of Lochiel : 

 the Rev. M. C. H. Bird, of Stalham : Mr. Walpole 

 Greenwell, of Marden Park : ^Ir. J. Whitaker, of 

 Mansfield ; Mr. H. A. Paynter, of Alnwick : ]\Iessrs. 

 Charles and Frank Rutley, of Birch wood ; Mr. G. 

 Armstrong, of Tillingdown : Mr. James Woollen, of 

 Horley; Mr. John Harker, of Outfield: Vl\\ James 

 Alderson, of Potts Valley, and many other friends 

 and bird-lovers throughout the country. 



