xvi INTRODUCTION. 



pencil has been seldom idle. Duncan also made 

 his mark as a lithographic artist and cartoonist. 

 For many years, we believe, he has rendered assist- 

 ance to the authorities of the Hancock Natural 

 History Museum, Newcastle, and the grand avine 

 collections housed therein are indebted to him 

 for many rare specimens. Some ten years ago 

 John Duncan commenced in the Nezvcastle Weekly 

 Chronicle a series of pen-and-ink sketches of the 

 birds of the British Isles, and every week during 

 the whole of that lengthened period the paper has 

 contained some fresh example of his art. The series 

 now forms the present volume ; and we feel sure 

 that not only will subscribers and others familiar 

 with the birds as they then appeared, be glad to 

 possess these drawings in a lasting and more con- 

 venient form, printed under the more favourable 

 conditions pertaining to book production, than the 

 hurry of the newspaper press, which can wait for 

 no man, but that in this form they will prove a 

 more worthy and lasting monument to the industry 

 and skill of their talented author. 



CHARLES DIXON. 



Paignton, S. Devon, 

 October i8q8. 



