192 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. viii. 



which Hmited opportunities or capacity or patience 

 permit. Those who are prepared to forego the excite- 

 ment of meeting with new birds and observing thrilhng 

 phenomena may, by constantly going the same walks, 

 perhaps over rather miinteresting country, gain an 

 insight into the hves of birds which will never be 

 obtained by those who are perpetually travelHng from 

 one end of the earth to the other. 



" Every kingdom, every province," wrote Gilbert 

 White, " should have its own monographer " ; at the 

 present time it might be held that most kingdoms and 

 some provinces have many monographers ; but in his 

 " advertisement " he also wTote : "If stationary men 

 would pay some attention to the districts on which 

 they reside, and would pubUsh their thoughts respecting 

 the objects that surround them, from such materials 

 might be drawn the most complete county-histories." 

 I expect every author of a county avifauna would 

 admit that most of this work is still undone. The 

 Natural History of Selborne is unique not only because 

 Gilbert White was Gilbert White, but because so few 

 ornithologists have been content to work at the birds 

 of their own parish or district. Yet with the knowledge 

 we have gained since Gilbert White lived, we ought at 

 least to be able to do what he did, and finally to 

 excel him. 



