VI 



PERSONAL 



THOSE who knew Mr. Morris only from his writings 

 on natural history would for the most part look 

 upon him as one to whom birds, and any other of 

 God's creatures, were specially dear, as one who 

 found in them friends and companions, and devoted 

 a large portion of his care, time, and energies in 

 shielding and delivering them from the attacks of 

 those who cruelly or thoughtlessly persecuted them. 

 This was, indeed, most true of him, but judged by 

 this alone a very imperfect idea would be formed 

 of what he really was, even though, as I have 

 already pointed out, much more is to be found in 

 his writings on natural history than merely in- 

 formation on the matters professedly dealt with in 

 them. Something, nay a good deal, of the author's 

 own tastes and character are to be gleaned, besides, 

 from a perusal of the pages of his volumes. Still, 

 even with these passing but frequent glimpses of 

 the man himself, which seem to form one of the 

 special features of his style as a writer, something 

 more remains to be said. 



The question may be asked why all this ceaseless 

 work and activity in channels that lay outside his 



