THIS little book contains the gist of my lectures on the 

 ' Curiosities of Bird Life/ and kindred ornithological 

 subjects, as delivered by me in many parts of the United 

 Kingdom during the last ten years. I have often been 

 asked to publish my lectures, and had even commenced 

 a series of articles in * Good Words' in 1895, under the 

 title of my best-known lecture, ' Curiosities of Bird Life.' 

 Since that date, however, this title has been used for 

 another volume ; but I trust that even under the new 

 name which I have adopted for this work, many of my 

 friends will recognize the lectures which it was the delight 

 of my heart to give. Acting under medical advice, I may 

 no longer undertake the strain of speaking in public, and 

 I have, therefore, acceded to the request to publish the 

 substance of the lectures which I was in the habit of 

 delivering extempore. I have thus been able to give 



