IV PREFACE. 



number of persons who turned their attention princi- 

 pally to this one branch of Zoology was at any rate 

 sufficiently great to justify an experiment which in a 

 neighbouring country, and among a kindred nation, had 

 succeeded so well. 



The meeting therefore broke up with the under- 

 standing that in the following year the subject should 

 be reconsidered. During the interval, communications, 

 either personally or by letter, were freely kept up among 

 those who had been present, as well as with others in- 

 terested in the same study, in order that the different 

 views which prevailed on the subject might be com- 

 pared, and the project thus forwarded. 



In November 1858, the annual assemblage took place 

 at Cambridge ; and, after due consideration, it was deter- 

 mined by those present that a Quarterly Magazine of 

 General Ornithology should be established, that a limited 

 subscription should be entered into to provide a fund 

 for that purpose, and that the subscribers should form 

 an ' Ornithological Union,' their number at present not 

 to exceed twenty. 



The cooperation of several other gentlemen, who were 

 not present at this meeting, was soon afterwards gladly 

 given ; and the list now printed of the members of the 

 Union will show the names of those who may be con- 

 sidered the original promoters of the undertaking. 



At present, thanks to the exertions of its friends, the 

 prospects of ' The Ibis ' are quite as satisfactory as were 

 anticipated ; but whether it can be continued, so as to 



