INTRODUCTORY. ] 3 



my purest earthly pleasures. It became my delight to 

 watch the habits of the animals and birds I met with in 

 my rambles, until there were few that were not familiar 

 to me. Like most youths I had a spice of romance 

 about me, and I must confess that in spite of the stern 

 realities of life, it lingers still. Hour after hour have I 

 wandered, sometimes with a companion, but more fre- 

 quently alone, in all parts of the forest by night as well 

 as by day, until I almost came to know each individual 

 tree, and to look upon them as old friends. With what 

 delight have I watched on a summer's eve the glow- 

 worms light their lamps literally by thousands, until 

 almost every blade of grass and frond of fern bore its 

 tiny beacon fire. Delighted have I sat 



" To listen as the night winds crept 

 From leaf to leaf," 



and as darkness shrouded everything from view I have 

 derived an inexpressible pleasure from the various sounds 

 which fell on the ear. 



The long continued whirr of the night-jar would 

 alternate with the hoot of the white, or the screech of 

 the tawny owl, or the wild cry of the stone plover would 

 ring 'out "clear as it passed overhead ; while in some sea- 

 sons, but not always, the mghtingale would make the 

 woods echo with her song. 



Year by year the habit and love of observation has 

 grown on me, and one of the results has been the follow- 

 ing notes on our forest birds. 



Under this title I have included all I have met with 

 in the district, both constant residents and regular or 

 occasional visitors, the total number amounting to 17 '2 

 species. 



