6 Introduction. 



the Land-rail, the Barn Owl, the common Gull, and the Black- 

 bird are among the chosen few. Thus we cannot be said to have 

 gained any help from the only two writers on British birds who 

 have preceded us. 



One giant, indeed, we have had among us, when the eminent 

 ornithologist, Colonel Montagu himself a native of Wiltshire 

 for a time resided at Lackham, in this county ; for he was 

 one of the most acute observers and one of the most reliable 

 authors of his day ; but he left behind him no list of Wiltshire 

 birds ; and those who are familiar with his admirable books are 

 aware that he alludes comparatively seldom to the species he met 

 with in this county, and that his references are chiefly confined 

 to the birds of Devonshire, where he resided on leaving Lackham.* 

 Neither must I omit the name of Gilbert White, the author of 

 the charming ' Natural History of Selborne/t still the most 

 delightful and the most fascinating of all books on that subject ; 

 but though while living in an adjoining shire, he pushed his 

 inquiries into Wiltshire, and doubtless gained part of his experi- 

 ence within the borders of our county, he can scarcely be cited 

 as a writer on our birds. Indeed, though I have searched in 

 every direction, I have failed to find any pioneer who should 

 guide me on my path, and I can refer to no writer who has pre- 

 viously treated of the birds of Wiltshire, or even bequeathed to 

 us a bare list of species, of any practical value. I must not 

 omit to add that since the publication of my papers on the 

 Ornithology of Wilts, thirty years ago, we have had the Rev. A. 

 P. Morres' very valuable papers, above mentioned, on the 

 ' Occurrence of some of the Rarer Species of Birds in the Neigh- 

 bourhood of Salisbury,' printed in the Magazine of the Wiltshire 

 Archaeological and Natural History Society, 1877-1885. Also 

 very many useful notices by the Ornithological Section of the 

 Marlborough College Natural History Society, printed in its 



' Ornithological Dictionary; or, Alphabetical Synopsis of British Birds/ 

 by George Montagu, F.L.S., 1802, and Supplement to the ' Ornithological 

 Dictionary,' by the same author, 1813. 



f 'Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne,' by the Rev. Gilbert 

 White, M.A., 1789. 



