ORIGINAL MEJIBERS. 1-11 



Mr. W. H. HUDLESTON. 



Previous to April 1867 Hudleston was known as Wilfrid 

 Hudleston Simpson, and it Avas whilst bearing this name 

 that most of his ornithological work was done. He was 

 born at York on the 2nd June, 1828, and sjient the years 

 from 1838 to 184.3 at the Collegiate School in that city, now 

 St. Peter^s School. Those Avere the days before scientific 

 farming had reduced our fences, and there was a fine field 

 for that mischievous imp, the bird^s-nester, especially in the 

 direction of Bootham Stray and the north-west side of the city 

 generally. In some years the Lesser Redpoll and the Green 

 Linnet bred abundantly in such fences, and their nests, 

 together with those of Whiteihroats, Willow-Wrens, &c., 

 constituted part of the spoils of the Collegiate boys in their 

 half-holiday excursions. 



In 18-13 young Simpson went to Uppingham School, being 

 then 15 years of age. Here, for three successive seasons, 

 he indulged in his favourite pursuit in a locality which at 

 that time was certainly favourable to ornithological rambles. 

 Kites had only just disappeared from those large w^oods which 

 were i^emnants of the old forest of Rockingham, but some of 

 the local eggs were still preserved in Bell's collection. The 

 subject of our memoir shares Avith many an Uppingham bov 

 of more recent years pleasant memories of Wardley Wood, 

 Bisbrooke Gorse, Stoke End, Burgess's Pond, and other 

 famous localities in the vicinity of the little Rutland town, 

 which have been made classical by Mr. Haines in his ' Notes 

 on the Birds of Rutland.^ 



The scene now shifts to Cambridge, when the glories of 

 Fenland were already in a transition state. The seasons of 

 1847, 1848, and 1849 are those with which we have to 

 deal. Simpson spent no small part of his time during the 

 spring months in fen localities, and the area of his operations 

 extended from Whittlesey JMcre, on the west, to the fens of 



