PREFACE 



THIS book contains the gist of almost daily 

 observation of birds occurring in Stretford 

 and the surrounding district, and covers 

 a period from September, 1902, until September, 

 1903. 



The village of Stretford lies at a distance of 

 about four miles south-west from Manchester, on the 

 northern bank of the river Mersey, which there 

 divides the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. 

 The country for miles around is low and flat, con- 

 sisting mainly of grazing fields and land under 

 cultivation. I have extended the area of observation 

 by occasional excursions over the Cheshire border, 

 and have embodied in the narrative an account of 

 my experiences during a summer holiday spent in 

 the island of Anglesey. 



It seemed appropriate to let the record open at 

 one of the two critical periods in bird life March 

 or September those times at which the migrants 



