VIM 



PREFACE, 



Oil all these occasions our " takes " were care 

 fully recorded, and anything of special interest 

 made a note of, much of the present work 

 be>ng the outcome of these enjoyable summer 

 excursions. 



In compiling the book, reference has been 

 made to the writings of Seebohm, Hewitson, 

 Bew,ck, Morr,s, Gilbert White, Atkinson, and 

 others, to whose works I am indebted for • - 

 ance where my own information has been scanty 

 Throughout the work the classification of 

 Seebohm has been followed, the common birds 

 ofeachfam.ly being taken first; while the rare 

 b.rds wh.ch have only visited our shores a fc^ 

 tmies have been mentioned at the end of each 

 group, ,„ order to make the book as comp>»te 

 as possible. The family P..sshr:o.: has been 

 placed first, smce it contains the greatest number 

 of our better known birds. 



Wherever a bird is described, the description 

 unless otherwise stated, is that of the male. ' 



VVVLLIES, CUCKFIELD, SuSSE.X. 



