PREFACE. 



As the wounded bird seeks some quiet retreat, where, 

 freed from the persecution of the pitiless fowler, it may pass 

 the time of its anguish in forgetfulness of the outer world ; 

 so have I, assailed by disease, betaken myself to a sheltered 

 nook, where, unannoyed by the piercing blasts of the North 

 Sea, I had been led to hope that my life might be protracted 

 beyond the most dangerous season of the year. It is thus 

 that I issue from Devonshire the present volume which, 

 however, contains no observations of mine made there, the 

 scenes of my labours being in distant parts of the country. 



So many years have elapsed since the publication of the 

 third volume, which ended the series of Land Birds, that 

 those interested in the completion of the work must have 

 despaired of ever seeing more of it. Unexpected events? 

 however, are of daily occurrence ; and I now have the prospect 

 of presenting to those in whose eyes the previous volumes 

 have found favour the volumes containing the Waders and 

 the Swimmers, which will conclude the series. 



In this, the fourth volume, are contained the Orders of 

 the Cursorial, Tentatorial, Aucupatorial, and Latito- 

 rial Birds, — including all the British Waders, or Shore 

 Birds, amounting to seventy species. The descriptions are 

 in all respects similar to those of the Land Birds. It may 

 be hoped that they will be found more correct, as, having 

 mostly been written twelve years ago, they have benefited 

 by the many opportunities of improving them that have 

 occurred. It had been intended to confine this volume to 



