SOME EARLY IbRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS. 399 



of British Fishes," and in July, 1837, published the 

 first part of his well-known " History of British Birds." 

 This was completed in May, 1843, and the first supplement 

 was printed in 1845. The " History of British Birds," 

 which originally appeared in three volumes, proved a great 

 success. Yarrell, besides being an accomplished ornitho- 

 logist, knew exactly what the general public wanted in 

 a popular text-book, and, moreover, possessed the skill 

 of presenting his knowledge in a concise and agreeable 

 manner. A second edition of the book appeared in 1845, 

 and a third, incorporating the second supplement, in 

 1856. In 1871 a fourth edition was commenced; this was 

 finished in 1885, and consisted of four volumes, the 

 original text being almost entirely rewritten. Professor 

 Newton undertaking that of the first two volumes and 

 Mr. Howard Saunders that of the remainder; the latter of 

 these two — both, alas, recently deceased — further con- 

 densed the whole into a single volume, illustrated with the 

 same figures as the larger work, and entitled "An 

 Illustrated Manual of British Birds " (1st edition, 1889 ; 

 2nd, 1899). 



Yarrell was a man of unbounded energy, and in addition 

 to his business labours was the author of many and various 

 writings on natural history.* He was also a zealous 

 supporter of several learned societies. After a long and 

 busy fife he was seized with a sudden illness while on a 

 visit to Yarmouth, where he died on September 1st, 1853. 

 He was buried at Bayford in Hertfordshire in a spot 

 which had been selected by himseK, and a medallion tablet 

 at the west end of the south aisle in St. James' Church 

 records his memory in his native parish. 



* For a list of these, 81 in number, c/. "Memoir," third edition, 

 " British Fishes." 



