Vlll PREFACE. 



On all these occasions our " takes " were care- 

 fully recorded, and anything of special interest 

 made a note of, much of the present work 

 being the outcome of these enjoyable summer 

 excursions. 



In compiling the book, reference has been 

 made to the writings of Seebohm, Hewitson, 

 Bewick, Morris, Gilbert White, Atkinson, and 

 others, to whose works I am indebted for assist- 

 ance where my own information has been scanty. 



Throughout the work the classification of 

 Seebohm has been followed, the common birds 

 of each family being taken first ; while the rare 

 birds which have only visited our shores a few 

 times have been mentioned at the end of each 

 group, in order to make the book as complete 

 as possible. The family PASSERID^, has been 

 placed first, since it contains the greatest number 

 of our better known birds. 



Wherever a bird is described, the description, 

 unless otherwise stated, is that of the male. 



WYLLIES, CUCKFIELD, SUSSEX. 



