Vili - PREFACE. 
their lawful husbands, as soon as the bans 
shall have been duly published in the parish 
church. Thus they tell you, that rooks destroy 
young turnips ; that carrion crows are always 
stealing egos; and that hedgehogs suck the 
cows. ‘The landlady “ of a little inn in the 
village” knew that poor Lefévre would not get 
better, for she had “ heard the death-watch all 
night long.” In fine, every body knows that 
there is to be an immediate wedding in the 
neighbourhood when he sees three magpies al! 
together. 
One of my objects in writing for Mr. Lou- 
don’s Magazine has been to try to do away 
the many accusations which ignorance and pre- 
judice have brought forward to injure the cha- 
racter of our feathered tribes; and I would fain 
hope to obtain mercy for my favourites at the 
hands of those who have hitherto ordered them 
to be destroyed. The task has by no means 
been difficult, for I possess the very best oppor- 
tunities of observing the birds whose habits I 
have described. 
I have only now to add, that Mr. Loudon, at 
