;< 



THE 



FEATHERED TRIBES 



OF THE 



BRITISH ISLANDS. 



V . 



INTRODUCTION. 



BIRDS are the most interesting division of nature's living 

 productions : the elegance of their forms, the delicacy of their 

 covering, the beauty of their colours, the element in which 

 they live, the variety of their motions, the labours which 

 they perform, the songs which they pour forth, and the 

 indications which they give of the vicissitudes of the seasons 

 and the changes of the weather, are subjects of observation, 

 continually varying, but always delightful : so much so, as to 

 have commanded the attention of mankind in all ages and 

 under every degree of civilization. 



When the infant first begins to notice that creation which 

 is to be its support, and should be its study through life, 

 birds are the fondest subjects of its admiration; and, long 

 before it can use its feet, it will stretch its little hands, and 

 strain to be out of the nurse's arms, in eagerness to catch 

 the sportive tenants of the sky; and when the bird tunes its 

 melody, the child is hushed into a repose apparently as 

 fascinating as that which it derives when listening to the 

 lullaby of the fondest mother. 



"When the wind of winter is up, when the forest howls in 



VOL. I. B 



