26 BritisJi BirdSy 



book has passed through three other editions. Of 

 these " the second and third editions," as the editor of 

 the first two vohimes of the fourth edition says in his 

 " Prospectus," " with the exception of some few, though 

 not unimportant, additions and alterations, were, as a 

 whole, mere reprints of the first, which appeared some 

 thirty"' — now more than forty — "years ago." But 

 the same cannot be said of the fourth and last edition ; 

 and, least of all, can it be said of the third and fourth 

 volumes thereof. Certain systematic changes were 

 made, as well as alterations rather than merely 

 additions, in the first two volumes (for the original 

 three volumes had been expanded into four in the 

 latest issue), such as might be looked upon as satisfac- 

 torily established. But the editorship of this new 

 edition expired when it was half way through, and at 

 the close of the second volume — the last edited by 

 Professor Newton — he writes as follows : — " I am not 

 responsible for anything that may follow by another 

 editor." 



This was in 1882 ; and the changes that have been 

 made under the direction of " another editor " are very 

 great ; and it may be added that there is, if not an 

 universal, still a very considerable consensus of opinion 

 that the systematic changes and alterations adverted 

 to are such as may be regarded as in the main satis- 

 factorily established. But, still, there is no question 

 possible but that they have introduced a very marked 

 incongruity between the systematic arrangement 

 adopted in the former editions, and even in the former 

 half of the fourth edition itself, and that exhibited in 

 the later and concluding moiety of the same. 



