P HE FACE. xi 



nas appeared, it need be no matter of surprise that steps 

 should once more be taken to add, if possible, to the popu- 

 larity of a favourite author, and render his work still more 

 instructive by bringing the information which he has im- 

 parted so agreeably to a par with the knowledge of the 

 present day. 



Of the many editions of this work which have been pub- 

 lished since 1789, when the original quarto appeared, it 

 will only be necessary to refer to one. 



Messrs. Sonnenschein & Co. having acquired the copy- 

 right of what has long been admitted to be the standard 

 edition of the work, namely, that which was prepared by the 

 late Mr. Edward Turner Bennett, a well-known naturalist and 

 former secretary to the Zoological Society, an opportunity 

 presented itself for thoroughly revising his notes, which, 

 written in 1837, had grown somewhat out of date ; while 

 the unexpected acquisition of a number of Bewick's en- 

 gravings suggested the happy idea of illustrating the wort 

 of a favourite author with the designs of an equally renowned 

 engraver. With this object in view, they invited my co- 

 operation as editor, and I need hardly say that I acceded 

 to their request with a considerable degree of pleasure. 



The book is one in which I have long delighted ; the 

 neighbourhood of Selborne I know well ; and Gilbert 

 White's favourite theme, ornithology, I have made my 

 special study for years. The task, therefore, has been 

 undertaken con amore ; how far I have succeeded I must 

 leave to critics to determine. Suffice it to say that my 

 aim has been two-fold; to present the reader with the 

 original text as issued by White himself (to which end the 

 proof sheets have been carefully collated with the first 

 quarto), and to supply such editorial notes only as are 

 necessary to bring the subject matter on a level with our 

 information at the present day. 



In this respect I have ventured to differ materially from 

 my worthy predecessor, Mr. Bennett, whose notes, though 

 generally of interest and value, are occasionally somewhat 

 irrelevant and ofttimes unpardonably long. 



Commencing with four pages of notes on the geological 



