INTRODUCTION 



Although densely peopled, traversed in all directions by 

 crowded roads, and surrounded by ships transferring the pro- 

 duce of their manufactures to other countries, from which a 

 corresponding influx takes place, the British Isles are pe- 

 culiarly favourable to the feathered tribes. The protection 

 afforded by the game laws prevents the destruction of many 

 species which do not come under the care of the legislature, 

 and the enforcement of the rights of property prevents much 

 of the waste of animal life that would otherwise take place ; 

 while, on the other hand, the many secure breeding-places 

 on the coast keep up a never-failing supply of such birds as 

 seek their food in the seas. While the extent of land, and 

 its vicinity to the Continent, render the number of terrestrial 

 species equal to that observed in any other country situated 

 in similar latitudes, the presence of the ocean, the diversi- 

 fied indentations of the shores, the numberless islets and 

 rocks along the coast, and the abundance of lakes and streams, 

 are the means of ensuring to us a greater variety of aquatic 

 species than could exist in an inland country. The land 

 and the water being with us equally favourable for the in- 

 habitation of birds, the number of aquatic birds and waders 

 together is almost exactly the same as that of the strictly 

 terrestrial species, there being about an hundred and sixty 

 of each kind, or three hundred and twenty in all. 



The person who has a mind to devote his attention, conti- 



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