viii PREFACE. 



(who has carried out most of the pubHcation arrangements 

 on behalf of the Club), and to Mr. J. E. Harting (who, 

 beside other help, has kindly supplied the chapter on " Hawks 

 and Hawking in Essex "). I have also to thank many of 

 the professional naturalists throughout the county, especially 

 Mr. Travis of Saffron Walden, Mr. Crick of Chelmsford, Mr. 

 Ambrose of Colchester, his successor in business, Mr. John 

 Pettitt, the late Mr. Scruby of Ongar, and Mr. Stacey of 

 Dunmow. In short, there is scarcely any one in the county, 

 having any pretensions to a knowledge of birds, who has not 

 rendered me cordial assistance. 



I have also to thank those subscribers (whose names, fol- 

 lowing a somewhat antiquated custom, I have printed at the 

 end of the book) who by kindly ordering copies in advance 

 have relieved me of much of the loss which usually attends 

 the publication of works of this class. 



The system of references I have used so copiously through 

 the work will, I believe, be found convenient. The numbers 

 enclosed within parentheses refer to the works named in 

 Appendix B, and to the volume (where more than one) and 

 page of the particular work referred to. Where the Field, 

 the Essex County Chrojiide, or other newspaper is referred to 

 without the year being given, it is to be understood that the 

 year of the occurrence in question is implied. 



The word " here," must be understood to mean the district 

 around my home at Chignal St. James, Chelmsford. 



I shall always be pleased to hear of the occurrence of rare 

 birds, or of anything notable connected with bird-life, in the 

 county, and until the issue of a second edition (if such be 

 called for) it is my intention to record such occurrences in 

 the pages of the Essex Naturalist. 



MILLER CHRISTY. 



Chignal St. James, 



Chelmsford, 

 March, i8go. 



