Bemy %vo. Price 2s., post-free. 



BRITISH BIRDS: 



KEY LIST. 



BY 



LlEUT.-COLONEL L. HOWARD IRBY, 



AUTHOR OF ' ORNITHOLOGY OF THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR.' 



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

 intended to be of use 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 -without 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 authenticity. 



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 handy guide to the 

 diagnostic characters of the species as a companion when ti'avelling. 

 It promises to be most useful, and cprtainlj represents a great deal 

 of research in a small compass — nearly peefect." — Athenceum. 



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

 likely to prove of great service, owing to the laege amount op infor- 



HATION compressed INTO A SMALL COMPASS." Ibis. 



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

 diagnostic characters of every species. It is a desirable supplement 

 to the ' List of Eritish 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, stjch 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 sufficient infor- 

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

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

 Messenger. 



LONDON: 



R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH 

 SQUARE, W. 



