Demy 8yo. ^Price 2s., post-free. 



BRITISH BIRDS: 



KEY LIST. 



BY 



LlEUT.-COLONEL L. HOWARD IRBY, 



ArTtlOR OF ' ORNITIIOLOGV OF THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR.' 



This attempt at a " Key List '' of British Birds is not 

 intended to be of nse to scientific ornithologists ; but the 

 compiler hopes it may be useful to those having a slight 

 knowledge of birds, so as to enable them to determine a 

 species v-ithout having to search through bulky volumes. 



Every endeavour has been made to avoid scientific terms 

 and to be as concise as possible. 



Those American land-birds hitherto included in ''^ British^' 

 lists have been omitted^ and others might with propriety be 

 struck out — such as specimens escaped from captivity, or 

 included without sufficient inquiry as to their authenticit)'. 



As far as possible, the nomenclature and arrangement of 

 the ' Ibis ' List have been adhered to. 



" This little work, compiled by one of our best practical Ornitho- 

 logists and sportsmen, is intended for the use of those who already 

 have a slight knowledge of birds, but require a handj- guide to the 

 diagnostic characters of the species as a companion when travelling. 

 It promises to he most useful, and certainly represents a great deal 

 of research in a small compass — keaelt pbefect." — Athenceum. 



" This work, written by an excellent practical ornithologist, is 

 likely to proye of great service, owing to the large amount of infor- 

 mation compressed into a small compass." — Ibis. 



" Has supplied a real want — a hand pocket-hook giving just the 

 diagnostic characters of every species. It is a desirable supplement 

 to the ' List of British Birds,' published by the British Ornithologists* 

 Union, which dealt with the nomenclature of the various species, but 

 which might also with advantage have contained diagnoses, such as 

 Colonel Irby's industry has now supplied." — Nature. 



"Many boys, and many men also, who are lovers of the country, 

 have felt the need of a guide to our native birds, which, whilst 

 neither prolix nor technical, should yet contain sufncient infor- 

 mation to enable them to identify birds when in doubt. This handy 

 little book of sixty pages will suit such inquirers." — BelTs Weekly 

 Messenger. 



LONDON: 



R. H. PORTER, 18 PRIXCES STREET, CAVEXDISH 

 SQUARE, W. 



1888. 



