PREFACE, 



[TO THE FIRST EDITION OF 1862.] 



THE anxiety necessarily attendant upon the 

 publication of this volume being* now brought to 

 a close, it only remains to apologise for the delay, 

 for which many reasons might be adduced, and to 

 express a hope that it may be received with the 

 same favour which has for so long a period been 

 kindly extended to the works of Thomas Bewick. 

 It may be matter of interest to many of his 

 admirers to learn that the whole of the wood cuts 

 now in the hands of the family are in as good 

 preservation as when they left the graver.* 



This volume was considerably advanced at press 

 before it was decided to append the cuts of the 

 Fishes; an arrangement which it is hoped may 

 meet with general approbation more particularly 



* As evidence of which, it is impossible to distinguish the cuts 

 introduced into the last edition of "Birds" from those previously 

 published. This is due to the well-known fact, as mentioned at page 

 260, that an immense number of impressions may be taken from 

 a wood block; and to the system, peculiar to Thomas Bewick, of 

 lowering all the more delicate parts. [See note to p. 255]. 



