vi PEEFACE. 



string of aliases are omitted, as inclusion of them would con 

 siderably swell the volume without materially enriching it. The 

 most usual English name is given in every case. 



Remarks as to a species being resident, intermigratory, or 

 migratory are given. "May to September" means that the 

 bird may usually be found in these islands from May and 

 during the ensuing months till September. 



The important subject of distribution is treated, setting forth 

 the districts in which a species is most frequently met with, and 

 vice versa and the kind of locality it affects, under the heading 

 of " Haunts." 



When a species is at all likely to be confounded with another, 

 a note under the heading of "Observations" is given, briefly 

 setting forth how it may be distinguished. 



The description of the plumage is not exhaustive, but the 

 idea has been to characterize briefly the predominant and 

 striking features of a bird's appearance in breeding plumage 

 that most attract the eye, either with or without field-glasses. 

 The winter plumage is also given where necessary, as some 

 birds have a totally different dress at that time of the year. 

 The plumage of the female and young bird is given, too, as in 

 some cases the female is quite unlike the male, and the im- 

 mature bird does not always bear a very close resemblance to 

 its parents. 



The language of a bird is another highly important matter, 

 as sound knowledge of its various cries e.g., call-, alarm-, 

 anxiety notes, &c. are of great help in identification. It must 

 be remembered that bird-cries are most difficult, some abso- 

 lutely impossible, to render in writing, so that any attempts to 

 syllabise their diversified notes, whether melodious or dis 

 cordant, will, I trust, be given a little latitude. 



Under the heading of "Habits" will be found a short 

 description of any characteristics or peculiarities with which a 

 certain kind of bird is endowed. Since volumes might be 

 written on a bird's habits, it is at once obvious that the reader 

 will find much that is left unsaid, and for full information 

 should refer to some standard work on birds. 



A note is inserted on the subject of food. 



For the purposes of this book the usual time of the year 

 for nidification, under normal conditions, is given ; but birds 

 are impulsive creatures, and the prevailing state of the weather 

 has much to answer for, so that early nests may often be found 

 should the weather be unusually mild. All birds will probably 

 make a second nest if the first one be destroyed, so that " one 

 brood " must be read as rearing only one brood in the year if 

 unmolested. A great many species, however, have two, three, 

 or more broods. 



