Vlll PREFACE. 



through the work, recording the occurrence of the rarer 

 visitants to our island, and in every instance specifying 

 the habitat or country they are indigenous to. This 

 arrangement might have been difficult were it not for 

 the assistance afforded by the works of Temminck, Deg- 

 land, and Schlegel, together with those of other distin- 

 guished naturalists, whose information is acknowledged 

 in the text. Mr. Thompson's work has afforded me 

 considerable facility in referring to notices of species 

 which I had previously transmitted to him, which was 

 fortunate, as in many cases I had no copy except what 

 occurred in my correspondence with that gentleman, 

 and which he has so amply acknowledged in his work. 



For the further information of the student the mo- 

 dern French scientific names have been added, together 

 with a carefully revised and copious index to the sys- 

 tematic names in both languages ; whilst in several 

 instances notices have been introduced of the appearance 

 of the same species in other countries, for the purpose 

 of illustrating some peculiarity of habit not observable 

 in our own. 



For the better economy of space and consequent 

 saving of expense, I have omitted a description of the 

 plumage of the birds, preferring to give a familiar de- 

 scription of their habits and migrations rather than to 

 occupy the work with a quantity of matter not suffi- 

 ciently attractive to the general reader. 



I cannot omit the present opportunity to express my 

 thanks to those kind friends from whose observation so 

 much benefit has been received: to Mr. Eichard Glennon 

 for much valuable information about the birds frequent- 



