COXTRIBUTORS TO THE FIRST SERIES OF ^ THE IBIs/ 189 



White Heron avid a Bittern obtained there. It can easily 

 be imagined that India opened up a wide field for his 

 energies and researches. It was not, however, until 1868, 

 when he first went to Gibraltar, that he came across a field 

 which lie was destined to make largely his own. At this 

 time our knowledge of the birds of the Spanish Peninsula 

 was extremely limited, and what was then known Avas 

 mainly due to Lord Lilford, who had visited the country 

 on several occasions and had contributed papers on its birds 

 to "^The Ibis' in 1865 and 1866. It was a happy chance 

 that the two had been most intimate friends from pre- 

 Crimean days in Dublin. 



^lajor Irby now devoted much time to a thorough study 

 of the birds of S.TV. Andaiucia and of the opposite coast 

 of Barbary. He had, however, at this time, and indeed 

 throughout his life, an invincible objection to publishing 

 any account of his experiences, and it was largely due to 

 Lord Lilford that he was at last induced to set about his 

 book on the Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar, which, 

 together Avith Lord Lilford's work, has formed the basis of 

 nearly all the writings on the subject which have since 

 appeared. 



This book came out in 1875 and is full of valuable 

 information, much of which was at the time entirely new, 

 on the fauna of this region. 



Colonel Irby was a man of marked individuality, and at 

 all times most willing to give assistance and information to 

 those whom he viewed as genuine students of Natural 

 History, but he had an undisguised detestation of the race 

 of " collectors " and wanton destroyers of bird-life. Tlie 

 present writer will never forget the outpour of indignation 

 by Colonel Irby upon the owner of a private collection who 

 exhibited with pride whole trays-full of Choughs' and 

 Peregrines' eggs, in tlie collection of which entire districts 

 had been mercilessly harried and the beautiful and harmless 

 Chough practically exterminated — at least in one locality. 

 Colonel Irby's wrath against such men was a thing not to 

 be forgotten, and he always declaimed against the baneful 



