XIV PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. 



than 150 stuffed birds, contributed by friends in all 

 parts of the country, and I began to give familiar lec- 

 tures, with the birds as illustrations ; these were kindly 

 received, and I visited with my boy and my birds many 

 towns in Ireland, and lectured before most of the Young 

 Men's and Temperance Societies of Dublin. 



All this is now past. That beloved child, the com- 

 panion of all my little wanderings, is no longer with me, 

 and 1 cannot now, alone, go over the ground I traversed 

 so often in his dear company. Feeling, therefore, no 

 longer able to continue my efforts thus to interest and 

 instruct the young, I thought that I would publish my 

 notes, with some additions, as a humble tribute of 

 undying love and regret. 



I cannot flatter myself that anything original will be 

 found in these pages. I have taken freely from all the 

 sources at my command whatever I thought would tend 

 to inspire my readers with the wish to observe and 

 study for themselves. Mine is not a scientific book, 

 and yet I trust there is nothing unscientific in it. 



My great aim has been to enable, as far as possible, 

 my readers to identify the birds for themselves ; and I 

 regret very much that the cost of illustrations placed 

 them beyond my reach. There are many other books, 

 however, from which this deficiency can be supplied. 



To those who live near a good library I would advise 

 the perusal of Dresser's Birds of Europe: and I would 



