INTRODUCTION 



A FEW words of introduction to this little book 

 are needed ; and they shall be but few, as neither 

 the incidents of the author's life, nor her feelings 

 towards publicity, would warrant more. 



For many years I had asked my friend, Jane 

 Mary Hay ward, to collect and publish her notes on 

 birds. I felt sure that the first-hand observations 

 of so sympathetic and unwearied a watcher would 

 have a value not to be measured by the limitations 

 of their scope. She, however, always doubted 

 whether they would have interest enough for any 

 wider circle than that of the friends who cared 

 for her, as well as for the birds and flowers that 

 counted for so much in her life. Sometimes she 

 was amused by the suggestion, and would perhaps 

 answer it in her next letter by a passage like the 



