PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



The First Edition, consisting of rather more than 3,000 copies, 

 was completed in November 1889, and exhausted early in 1897. 

 The species which were then considered as British numbered 367, 

 but in this Second Edition the total has been raised to 384; the 

 additions (with illustrations) being the Subalpine Warbler, Pallas's 

 Willow-Warbler, Greenish WiUow-Warbler, Radde's Bush-Warbler, 

 Melodious \\'arbler, Siberian Meadow-Bunting, Gyr-Falcon, Caspian 

 Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Madeiran Fork-tailed Petrel, Frigate- 

 Petrel, Collared Petrel, and Black-browed Albatross ; a new cut and 

 description of the Little Dusky Shearwater are substituted for those of 

 Piiffinus obscurus ; and the Rufous Turtle-Dove, Siberian Pectoral 

 Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Herring-Gull, and Levantine Shearwater are 

 also added, although they are not figured, because of their close re- 

 semblance to species already illustrated. In the case of many of the 

 species named in the first list, the identical British specimens have 

 been portrayed by Mr. G. E. Lodge, who has also furnished new 

 illustrations of the Yellow-browed Warbler, Icterine ^V■arbler, Reed- 

 Warbler and nest, Marsh-Warbler and nest. Red-throated Pipit, 

 Short-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Golden Eagle, Honey- 

 Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Hobby, Red-footed Falcon, Osprey, 

 Little Bittern, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, White-billed Northern 

 Diver, Black-throated Diver and Red-throated Diver. 



Of the 384 species now described, those which have bred within 

 the United Kingdom during the present century may be taken as 

 199 (if the extinct Great Auk is included); about 74 non- 

 breeding wanderers have occurred fewer than six times, and 66 

 others are more or less infrequent visitors ; while 45 species 

 annually make their appearance on migration or during the colder 

 months, in some portion of our long, narrow group of islands or upon 

 the surrounding waters. 



It is hoped that the three coloured ]Maps will be useful for 

 reference, especially to the traveller. The first of these shows the 



