XVlil INTRODUCTION. 
Bustard, originally due to a British anatomist, Dr. James 
Douglas, was first made known in 1740 by Albin, in his ‘ Nat. 
Hist. Brit. Birds,’ 11. p. 36. Since that date many have been 
the contributions published, and various the opinions ex- 
pressed, on this very curious subject. In ‘ The This,’ for 1862, 
pp. 107-127, will be found avery full and interesting account 
by Professor Newton of all that had been previously published 
on the matter, supplemented with observations of his own; 
and an important communication on the same subject by 
Dr. Cullen is given in ‘ The Ibis,’ 1865, p. 148. 
Yarrell’s paper in the Trans. Linn. Society, 1855, p. 155, 
and Prof. Flower’s contribution, P. Z. 8. 1865, p. 747, 
should also be referred to for additional and valuable details. 
An annual decrease in numbers of the Dotterel (Hudromias 
morinellus) has been remarked of late by naturalists residing 
in localities where this species was once more plentiful; and 
this is doubtless due to the proportionate increase of gunners, 
and the unchecked shooting which at present takes place 
throughout the year, whereby numbers of breeding birds are 
destroyed immediately on their arrival in May. 
It is to be hoped that the legislative protection which is 
now afforded to sea-birds during the nesting-season will be 
extended gradually to other indigenous species, that we may 
prevent, before it is too late, any others from being added to 
the already long list of fine species which have been driven 
from, or well nigh exterminated in, the British Islands. 
As all references to the nesting-haunts of rare species are 
interesting, it may be well to supplement the list of counties 
which are believed to be frequented by the Dotterel in the 
breeding-season (p. 43), by adding that in May and June 
1853 three nests, containmg three eggs each, were taken in 
Elginshire (¢f. Thurnall, ‘ Naturalist,’ 1853, p. 254). Another 
locality formerly visited by the Avocet (p. 46) im the nesting- 
