INTRO D UCTOR Y. 9 



the homely birds in park and garden, as with 

 those of more distinguished presence and greater 

 rarity. Birds are always interesting, always 

 beautiful, and always present. Go where we will, 

 ramble where we may, the birds are ever with us, 

 in air, on earth and sea. No matter what the time 

 or season, the interest of their movements never 

 wanes. Be it the season of their courtship or the 

 hour of their song, the days of their nest-building 

 or the period of their family cares, the time of 

 their journeys to and fro, their comings and 

 their goings, singly and silent, or in noisy throng, 

 by daylight or by darkness, it is ever the same, 

 their actions and their handiwork fascinate and 

 charm us more than those of any other living 

 things. 



I should here just like to remark that no 

 amount of book-reading will give the student 

 much practical knowledge of birds. He must 

 supplement his reading with his own observations, 

 with his own constant and sympathetic scrutiny of 

 birds at all times and seasons ; for it is only then 

 that the wonderful charm of Ornithology is realised. 

 The ways of birds are well enough when put on 

 paper, but this reflection of their habits is but 

 a sorry substitute for the personal observation of 

 them, no matter however cunning and skilful the 

 pen may be that essays to describe them. Regular 

 and constant observation, therefore, is necessary 

 to acquire a knowledge of birds' habits. I re- 

 member years ago I used to go my rambles after 

 knowledge so regularly that the farmers in the 

 fields set their time by me. " There goes Mr. 

 Dixon;" "it's drinking-time," " dinner-time," or 

 " milking-time," as the case might be, according 



