PEEFACE. 



Ix whatever part of the world the author has 

 found himself, Birds have furnished an endless 

 source of amusement to him. 



It was therefore with great pleasure that he 

 heard that the subject of their preservation was 

 to be brought before Parliament, and he read 

 with interest the Eeport of the Evidence given 

 before the Select Committee appointed in 1873, 

 to enquire into the advisability of extending the 

 protection of a close season to certain wild 

 birds. 



But no one can read this evidence without 

 noticing how little the subject of the preserva- 



