INTRODUCTION. 7 



Union. It is obviously, therefore, of greater weight than any Hst 

 compiled by a single person only. I am of opinion that the present 

 unsettled and unsatisfactory state of scientific nomenclature has been 

 long enough a disgrace to men of science. It is in reality quite im- 

 material by what name a species is known, so long as it is by 

 common consent known by that name. But the height of absurdity 

 has been reached, and the utility of any nomenclature at all has 

 'been almost destroyed, when it is necessary, after mentioning a 

 particular name, to add by whom it was (and often by whom it was 

 not) bestowed ! 



{g.) Scope and Alms of the Work. 



In compiling the present volume, I have endeavoured to carry 

 out my own ideas as to what the scope and nature of such a work 

 should be. In my opinion, such works should be essentially, and in 

 the first place, local works. General information as to the habits 

 and natural history of the species described, though not actually out 

 of place, if space permits its insertion, is, nevertheless, by no means a 

 prime requisite. A county or other local ornithology should, according 

 to my ideas, deal primarily with the distribution and the frequency 

 or otherwise of the species found within the area treated of, and 

 of their habits and migrations within that area. More general 

 information should, I consider, be reserved for more comprehensive 

 and general works, treating of the entire natural history of the 

 species. Hence, I have inserted in these pages, very little upon the 

 general habits of birds. 



Note. — Mr. Joseph Clarke is of opinion that many birds are scarcer now 

 than formerly. He wTites me as follows : " A goldfinch is now never seen here, 

 though many years ago there were several nests upon the trees in my garden at 

 The Roos. This may be owing in some measure to better farming, which 

 eradicates the thistles, the seeds of which constitute their chief food. The 

 bullfinch has also disappeared, and the mischievous sparrows now take its place. 

 We have but few swallows, and scarcely a martin, whilst the nightingale has quite 

 deserted us, as also the glow-worm, which may be appropriately associated with 

 it. Years ago a hundred of the latter might be picked up during a walk between 

 here and Saffron Walden, a distance of two miles. The lapwing, too, which used 

 to be plentiful on our hills, is not now to be seen, and many other species now 

 absent might be mentioned." 



