INTRODUCTION. XV. 



by the British Ornithologists' Union, and pubHshed in 1883, as the 

 " Ibis Catalogue of British Birds." This classification is based 

 mainly on the osseous structure of birds, more particularly with 

 regard to the palate bones, as being the part the least modified by 

 the diverse conditions of bird life. 



Yarrell's " History of British Birds " must always be regarded 

 an indispensable book for all lovers of Ornithology. The first 

 edition was published in 1837-43, and the last, the fourth, edited 

 by Professor Alfred Newton and Mr. Howard Saunders, was 

 commenced in 187 1 and finished in 1885. This admirable work 

 has been taken as the basis of the " Notes on the Birds of 

 Herefordshire," and to it the reader is referred for figures and 

 descriptions of the Birds, and for the full account of them and of 

 their habits, to which these " Notes " must be regarded as merely 

 supplementary. 



The arrangement and nomenclature ot the " Ibis Catalogue " 

 having been adopted in this work, where it is found that the name 

 of a bird in Yarrell differs, it will be put in italics for convenience 

 of reference. 



The names between brackets are those species recorded in 

 the " Ibis Catalogue," but not hitherto observed in Herefordshire. 

 They are inserted in the hope of directing the attention of naturalists 

 to the blanks which still remain in our long list, and which further 

 observation may fill up. 



Note to page 240. 



An interesting notice of the occurrence of the Kittiwake, 

 Rissa tridactyla^ has at the last moment been received from Mr. 

 Jenner, of Vennwood, but, unfortunately, too late for insertion in 

 the proper place. This beautiful bird was observed on the pool in 

 the front of the house at Vennwood, on December 12th, 1887, and 

 shot by Mr. Jenner. It proved to be a very good specimen in 

 beautiful plumage, and he is having it stuffed for preservation at 

 Vennwood House. 



