BRITISH BIRDS, 



WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



ORDER PASSERES. 



THIS group of Birds has always been a favourite with me, as with most 

 students of the feathered race. I have taken and preserved both nests and 

 eggs of most of the British species, and have studied the habits of man}- of them 

 in captivity, as well as in a wild state : possibly for this reason, the task of 

 preparing this portion of the present Work has fallen to my share, instead of 

 that of some more erudite Ornithological writer. 



The Order Passeres (following the classification adopted by Howard Saunders 

 in his admirable " Illustrated Manual ") includes seventeen families, the members 

 of which are mostly suitable for aviary or cage-life ; of these the Tnrdida (Thrush- 

 like birds), the Fringillidcc (Finches), and Alaudidcc (Lark-like birds) find favour 

 with the larger number of Aviculturists. 



The family Turdidee, the first on our list, has been sub-divided into three 

 sub-families : 



i. Turdince (Thrushes) in which the first plumage is spotted above and below. 



2. Sylviincc (Warblers) in which the young closely resemble their parents 

 excepting in their paler or duller colouring. 



VOL. I. B 



