Their Eggs and Nests. f 



collections of eggs, whether for his own direct instruc- 

 tion, or merely in search of interesting pastime. If a 

 boy only knows that a Reed Sparrow is called a Reed 

 Sparrow or a Black-headed Bunting, and he wanted to 

 find the Reed Sparrow's eggs in a well-stocked collec- 

 tion, he miglit be half an hour before he hit upon what 

 he wanted ; but if he knew that the generic name of 

 the Bunting was Emberiza^ and the specific name of 

 the Reed Sparrow, ScJioeniclus he would be able to 

 pitch upon his quarry in half a minute. Besides all 

 which, no one was ever the worse for learning habits 

 of orderly and systematic arrangement, even thougli 

 he had to pay the price of doing a little puzzling 

 head-achy work, and had to bother himself with a 

 good many ugly-looking, ill-sounding, jaw-cracking 

 words, such as Coccothraustes, Troglodytes, Platy- 

 rhyi^ca, Phalacrocorax, and the like. 



It is proposed in this little book to adopt a classifi- 

 cation which seems to meet with very general 

 acceptance or acquiescence, and principally for that 

 reason; — that, namely, which Vv^as employed by the 

 late Mr. Yarrell. This classification depends on the 

 system which divides all birds whatever into five 

 great classes,^ viz : — 



1 It will possibly be thought by some of my readers — and I must 

 udmit thiit I have again and again debated the consideration with 

 myself — that it was scarcely necessary, perhaps desirable, to suffer 

 tills and what follows to reappear in a new Edition. On the whole, 

 I thought it was ; because it will at least serve to direct attention 

 to the greatness of the changes consequent on more careful and more 

 scientific investigation which have been introducetl during the period 

 which has elapsel since the first appearance of this little book. 

 These will in this way be caused to appear less abrupt and startling, 

 and the reader to be better prepared for them, when he comes to the 



