88 FRANCIS ORPEN MORRIS 



reprinted, the sale having in course of years reached 

 a very large figure, it was not until 1870 that a 

 new edition was given to the public. This second 

 edition appeared in the early part of that year ; 

 many additional facts were given, and corrections 

 made upon the earlier edition ; the volumes, too, 

 were of larger dimensions than the former ones, 

 though in size and outward appearance the author 

 himself always preferred the original shape of the 

 work, and when he took up the book to read or 

 refer to, he generally chose the first edition. 



A third edition, newly revised, corrected, and 

 enlarged, made its appearance in 1891. This edition 

 was published by Mr. John C. Nimmo. Its chief 

 features were the addition of twenty-nine new British 

 species, together with the insertion of appropriate 

 but brief poetical quotations at the end of each 

 article. This latter adjunct, though a task of some 

 difficulty, was one which fulfilled a long-cherished 

 wish of the author ; indeed, he had the idea in his mind 

 before the publication of the first number in 1850. 



As a kind of natural supplement to the " History 

 of British Birds," there appeared at the beginning 

 of 1852, from the same pen and the same printer 

 and engraver, the " Natural History of the Nests and 

 Eggs of British Birds." This work also, like the 

 " Birds/' came out in monthly parts, and extended 

 to three volumes, uniform with the greater work. 

 The plates were cleverly executed by Mr. Fawcett 

 on tinted paper by a plan, I believe, peculiarly his 

 own. Only in certain cases were the nests of the 



