THE BIEDS OF SUFFOLK. 



Introduction. 



A considerable number of specimens of rare birds are 

 to be found in Suffolk, both in public and private Collections, 

 about which no localities or particulars of any kind are 

 recorded. In many cases, very few if any details can now 

 be ascertained from the length of time which has elapsed 

 since these birds were taken. Many interesting facts 

 about others are still remembered, but are in danger of 

 being lost to science because they have never been pub- 

 lished.* This being more and more impressed upon me by 

 continued observation, the thought occurred to me of en- 

 deavouring to make a list of all the birds which I could 

 in any way discover to have been observed, or obtained, in 

 Suffolk. In order to make this list as complete as possible, 

 it became necessary to examine and record the birds con- 

 tained in such Collections as I had access to, both public 

 and private, both great and small ; and to pick up such 

 trustworthy information as I could get from naturalists, 

 sportsmen, bird-stuffers, gamekeepers, and indeed from all 

 sorts and conditions of men. It became also requisite to 

 investigate the literature of the subject, and the information 

 scattered in a large number of books and periodical publi- 

 cations. This involved an amount of labour for which I 

 "was scarcely prepared, and must be my apology for a 

 somewhat tardy performance of a promise of several years' 



* It cannot be too strongly impressed of them is preserved ia some way or 



upon those who possess specimens of rare other. The name of a bird and its date 



birds, or any other objects of natural of capture, as well as its locality, should 



history, that their value is immensely always be written in or on the case which 



diminished both in interest and from a contains it, or in a permanent catalogue, 

 commercial point of view, unless a record 



