INTRODUCTION. Vll 



Thomas Browne's works, " to enumerate tliem were 

 it possible to do so without omission, might have 

 rather the appearance of parade than of gratitude: 

 while a solitary omission would expose me to the 

 mortifying and undeserved imputation of ingrati- 

 tude ; " I must, therefore, deny myself the pleasure 

 of thanking individually those who have so kindly 

 assisted me. My special thanks, however, are due to 

 the late Mr J. H. Gurney — whose death before the com- 

 pletion of a work in which he took so great an interest 

 we have all to deplore — also to his son, Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney, for much valuable help in all ways ; while to 

 Professor Newton, I have no hesitation in saying, the 

 completion of this w^ork is mainly due ; for, in the 

 first place, without his advice and encouragement 

 it would never have been undertaken, and without 

 his valuable assistance it would as surely never have 

 been finished. I am also much indebted to the various 

 bird preservers of the county for notices of scarce 

 species and frequent opportunities of examining rare 

 birds in the flesh ; of these my thanks are especially 

 due to Mr. Cole and Mr. Roberts, of Norwich ; Mr. 

 Lowne and Mr. Smith, of Yarmouth ; Mr. Dack, 

 of Holt ; Mr. Pashley, of Cley ; and Mr. Newb}^, of 

 Thetford ; I am, also, much indebted to the published 

 notes of Mr. T. E. Gunn, which I have acknowledged 

 in the text. For the rest mine has been a labour of 

 love, and I trust that the contrast between the com- 

 mencement and the concluding portion of the volume, 

 however evident, will be regarded with indulgence. 

 Norwich, T. S, 



September, 1890. 



