VI PREFACE. 



Mr. W. Duckworth, who had ah-eady explored the fells 

 and valleys of his native county for twenty years, that we 

 should write a county "list" of Birds. Mr. J. G. Goodchild, 

 the indefatigable Editor of the Cumberland and West- 

 morland Association for the Advancement of Literature 

 and Science, most kindly requested that our list should 

 be published in the " Transactions." To this we consented, 

 but, unfortunately, when the list had been completed, and 

 revised by Mr. O. V. Aplin, in August last, Mr. Goodchild 

 found that it would be impossible to publish our list during 

 the present year (188.5), and that it could not appear in the 

 " Transactions" before December, 1886. In consideration 

 of the pains bestowed to incorporate our latest notes, 

 Mr. Duckworth concurred with me in thinking that our 

 right course would be to at once prepare the list for 

 publication in an expanded form. In the task of enlarging 

 the original text, I have strictly adhered to the principle 

 of copying all descriptions of the habits of birds from 

 our joint note-books, written in the open air, and fre- 

 quently written together, but containing only rough and 

 ready memoranda for personal use. Mr. Duckworth's 

 observations refer especially to such inland-breeding species 

 as the Dipper and Pied Flycatcher, while mine refer more 

 particularly to Ducks, Sea Fowl, and Waders ; but we 

 have neither of us confined our observations to any one 

 group, or to any one part of the county, though Mr. 

 Duckworth is most at home on the fell-side, and I am 

 best acquainted with the coast and salt marshes. The 

 simplest language has constantly been employed, our single 

 endeavour having been to arrive at correct conclusions, 



