PREFACE. 



from any books, but from the experiences of Mr. Davy, for 

 thirty years a practical bird-catcher and dealer. 



For the last ten years from its commencement I have been 

 editor of the PRACTICAL NATURAL HISTORY and FISHERY columns 

 of Land and Water, and have freely quoted from it in this 

 book. I am always anxious to diffuse, by means of this publi- 

 cation, information on the most important national question of 

 the increase of the food of the people by scientific cultivation 

 of the waters, as well as on those subjects of general natural 

 history which White knew and loved so well. 



In Land and Water, vols. i. and ii., 1866, Mr. Groom Napier 

 published a valuable series of articles on the " Birds Breeding 

 in Great Britain." By his permission I have quoted this 

 gentleman's descriptions of the Nests and Eggs of many birds 

 mentioned by White. I am also under obligations to Colonel 

 Hardy, RA. ; Mr. Menzies, of Windsor Park ; Mr. A. D. Bartlett, 

 of the Zoological Gardens, for assistance ; and to my friend, 

 Professor Delamotte, for the pains he has taken in the illus- 

 trations for this volume. I propose with the permission of 

 the authorities of the Science and Art Department, South 

 Kensington to put together in my " Museum of Economic 

 Fish Culture," the specimens figured in my part of this volume, 

 and to exhibit in a large Aviary as many as possible of the birds 

 mentioned by White. 



In the spring of the year, the London season begins, and large 

 numbers of our fellow-creatures migrate to London. In the 

 fall of the year, these same individuals migrate again from 

 London ; this is exactly what happens with the birds, and it 

 would, I am sure, give much pleasure to many of the public if 

 the local, daily, and weekly press throughout the country would 

 take the hint I now give them and record, not only the arrivals 

 and the departures of Lords and Ladies, M.P.'s, and the great 



