HISTORY OF BRITISH mmS— continued. 



histories of very many others, which were formerly little known, 

 have been fully elucidated, while, speaking generally, an immense 

 increase in our knowledge on such important subjects as Migra- 

 tion, Distribution, Habits, Nidification, Plumages, has accrued : 

 And lastly, a new and important branch of study has been instituted 

 —namely, the recognition of the various Racial Forms or Sub- 

 species exhibited by certain birds in the British Islands, on the 

 Continent, and elsewhere. 



A great advance has also been made towards a more satis- 

 factory system of classification of the Aves — always a difficult 

 subject — and this necessitates departures from the older views. 



To bring this Standard Work thoroughly abreast of the most 

 recent knowledge in all these departments is the object of the 

 present work. 



It should be remarked that while it is not intended to go fully 

 into Synonomy, yet, where changes of nomenclature have been 

 necessary in order to conform with the Law of Priority — the only 

 method by which complete uniformity in nomenclature can ulti- 

 mately be attained— the names used in the Fourth Edition of 

 Yarrell's "British Birds" and in Saunders' "Manual," and the 

 Trinomial Names of the British Racial Forms, and of those 

 occurring in Britain as visitors from the Continent, will be quoted, 

 as will also the Original Name under which the species was 

 described. 



In requesting Mr Eagle Clarke to undertake the duties of 

 Editorship, the Publishers desire to make it known that they are 

 acting under the advice of the late Mr Howard Saunders, who 

 placed all his collected notes for a New Edition at Mr Eagle 

 Clarke's disposal for this purpose. That Mr Eagle Clarke is emin- 

 ently fitted for the work is well known to all who are interested in 

 ornithological science. Through his investigations of the subject, 

 and contributions to its literature, he has long been recognised 

 as one of the foremost authorities on all that relates to British 

 birds. He has studied our native birds in many portions of 

 the British Islands, and has visited a number of bird-haunts 

 in various parts of Europe in order to become acquainted 

 in their Continental homes with the visitants that seek our 

 shores. 



On the important matter of the Migrations performed by 

 British Birds, Mr Eagle Clarke's knowledge is unrivalled— a 

 material fact, w^hen it is called to mind how little has been said 

 on this most important subject in any published History of 

 British Birds. 



A new and important feature of the New Work will be a 

 Coloured Plate of each species. These will be reproduced in the 

 best style from original drawings specially executed for the work 

 by Miss Lilian Medland, F.Z.S., an accomplished and well- 

 known bird artist. 



GURNEY & JTiLCKSOM^ 



33 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, E.G. 



