Vlii PREFACE. 



of a species ; others I trust may be found to possess a 

 fuller interest. 



I have carefully revised the original papers, and have 

 added much additional information, the result of later 

 observations. The introductory chapter on the forest 

 will, I hope, give my readers some idea of the district 

 in which my labours have been carried on. 



One word with regard to an objection which has been 

 made to local histories. It is not pretended that the 

 Birds of Sherwood Forest are peculiar to that district, but 

 local naturalists are confined to local boundaries, though 

 it is obvious that these must often be arbitrary, or even 

 imaginary ; yet it is only by close and continuous local 

 observation that the presence of a species in a particular 

 district is detected, and its range determined, and thus 

 our knowledge of the birds of the whole country is 

 made more complete. I wish every county had its 

 ornithological biographer, for we should thus not only 

 become better acquainted with the habits and manners 

 of our feathered neighbours, but much light would be 

 thrown on a point which is confessedly obscure viz., 

 their local and general migrations, and the causes by 

 which they are influenced. 



I cannot conclude without expressing my obligations 



