10 INTRODUCTION. 



and orders, nomenclature, moulting, migration, &c. ; also a 

 description of some birds not found around St Andrews, 

 seldom even in Britain ; but as they are included in the list of 

 "British Birds" in most of our works on ornithology (at the risk 

 of being a little inconsistent), I have introduced here — along 

 with a smattering of information regarding the assumed 

 systems, circles, families, and affinities of the various species, 

 us an introduction to the lighter and more original design of the 

 book — bearing always in mind that species only exist in the 

 eternal order of Nature; and, as my object is to give information, 

 and a desire to tell what I know from personal observation, it 

 may be useful (in its unassuming way) to those who wish to 

 study ornithology — not only as a science, but as a pleasant 

 occupation when walking by the lonely shore, the wimpling 

 burn and broomy knowe, or the many lovely bye-paths around 

 us, face to face with Nature herself, reading the open 

 pages of her ever-perfect book, or listening to the varied 

 but general harmony from this interesting portion of her 

 creatures ; for there is a ring of cheerfulness in the ever-welcome 

 springtide whistle of the blackbird, and in the songs of the 

 mavis, the linnet, and the lark ; in the merry " chink, chink, 

 chink" — not of gold, but of the lively, lovely chaffinch ; in the 

 exhilarating " chicka, chicka-chee" of the active, little cole-tit; 

 and in the plaintive " chilly, lilie, lillie-poo" of the yellow- 

 hammer ; and more or less in all our feathered friends, not to 

 be found in any other branch of Natural History. 



And if we want types of courage or ferocity, affection or 

 .solitude, where better exemplified than by the falcon or the 

 hawk, or the golden eagle, the cooing dove, or in the eerie 

 hooting of the solitary owl ? 



Every phase of characteristic is more varied and attractive 

 in the birds than in any other portion of creation (except man), 

 for, although there are many different kinds of birds — from the 

 little cave-seeking jenny-wren of the brambles to the soaring 

 condor of the Andes — there are still more different kinds of 

 men. There are human hawks and doves, eagles and geese, 

 swallows and snipes, parrots and owls, jackdaws and peacocks, 

 creepers and gulls, gulliemots and grouse, sparrows and larks, 

 cormorants and humming-birds, fly-catchers and divers, and 

 every species of worth and worthlessness the dictionary can 

 express — all classed in the one rank and file of man, who is, 

 like the Yankee, the lord of creation ; at least, such is the 

 feeling of the writer after fifty years' observation and notes. 



