PREFACED xiii 



as Yarrell (revised and enlarged by Messrs. Newton 

 and Saunders), Seebohm, Dresser and Sharpe, 

 Dixon, Montagu, Morris, Newman (revised and 

 rewritten by Miller Christy), Stevenson, Swaysland, 

 Booth, Bechstein, Atkinson, and others. Neither 

 must I forget to mention the Field, from the 

 natural history columns of which I have compiled 

 a whole note-book of useful and extraordinary facts, 

 many of which find a place in the following pages. 



I have also to express our thanks, for valuable 

 assistance readily rendered, to the Duke of Argyll, 

 the Marquis of Lome, Lord Walsingham, the Con- 

 servators of Epping Forest, Mr. J. Anderson 

 of Oban, Mr. H. A. Paynter of Alnwick, Mr. 

 James Sinclair of Kirkwall, Mr. B. Baldry of 

 Norwich, and the numerous factors, farmers, keepers, 

 and boatmen who have assisted us most willingly 

 in obtaining the necessary materials for the pro- 

 duction of the work. 



The great feature of the book lies- in the unique 

 character of its pictures. In this respect we can 

 claim that it is the first practical attempt to illus- 

 trate a manual on the subject from photographs taken 

 in situ. A glance through its pages will at once 

 establish the valuable nature of this new departure. 

 Of course, it must not be supposed that all the 

 nests and eggs are to be seen exactly as represented 

 in the illustrations ; for many of them had to be 

 partially exposed before a photograph could possibly 

 be taken, and in some instances actually removed 

 from holes, as in the case of the Wheatear, Starling, 

 and Swallow. 



