VI 



together, electing the Rev. T. A. Peeston as their president, 

 and agreeing to meet on certain nights for consultation. 

 Difficulties at first cropped up thickly, but scientific energy, 

 aided by the firm support of the Rev. G. G. Bradley, in 

 time overcame these. The society grew, and a year and a 

 half after its formation published its first report. The 

 career of the still small but thriving society brightened 

 more and more. About the middle of 1866 the College 

 provided a room as a museum. From that time to this no 

 cloud of any importance has appeared on the society's 

 horizon. It now publishes its reports half-yearly, numbers 

 more than half a hundred membeis, and its collections 

 have out- grown its museum. Such is the society to which 

 I owe so much, and to which I have now so poorly 

 attempted to repay a few of its benefits. 



The present work is not quite the first on the subject of 

 the Ornithology of Marlborough. 



Some years ago a " Flora " of the district was published 

 by the Rev. T. A. Peeston, at the end of which a slight 

 sketch of the birds was added by R. Bosworth Smith, 

 Esq. All the birds mentioned in his list appear in the 

 present one, while a considerable number have been added. 



As the title of my work only embraces the birds of 

 Marlborough, and not those of the whole county of "Wilts, 

 it was necessarj^ to fix some definite limits to the district. 



