PREFACE. 



THE favour with which these 

 Sketches have been already received 

 by the public has suggested the expediency of repub- 

 lishing them in the more portable and convenient 

 form of an octavo. 



All have been written from the Author's per- 

 sonal observation, during many years, of the birds 

 in their natural haunts. 



The various scenes of Bird Life so faithfully 

 depicted in the engravings by Mr. CHARLES 

 WHYMPER, have all foundation in fact, and will 

 be found to illustrate incidents narrated in the 

 text. 



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