VI 



PREFACE. 



Here at the very outset a difficulty arose. The notes Avere 

 written on paper of the most miscellaneous description ; and occa- 

 sionally on scraps so small that six or eight lines were crowded 

 into a slip not exceeding an inch in breadth. To work with good 

 eflect on notes in such a state was impossible ; nor was it safe to 

 make the attempt, for the sudden opening of a door or window, if 

 a table were covered with such scraps, might have involved the 

 loss of some precious fragment that could never be replaced. We 

 resolved, therefore, in the first instance, to have the entire of the 

 memoranda relating to the vertebrate animals carefully transcribed 

 and compared with the originals. This was done, and every 

 scrap in Mr. Thompson's handwriting scrupidously preserved, so 

 that, if needful at a future period, any one might be referred to. 



The next step was to fix on some general plan of arrangement, 

 so that the several topics might follow in regular order. Por our 

 guidance in this matter we had Mr. Thompson's " Birds of Ire- 

 land," and the memoranda already noticed with respect to some 

 of the fishes. A certain course was accordingly planned by Mr. 

 G-arrett and myself; and meeting with the approval of our friends 

 Dr. Dickie and Mr. Hyndman, was adopted. 



We decided on making no change in such of the printed papers 

 as we now republish, except where additional information had been 

 acquired. We determined to give the facts, references, and de- 

 scriptions in full, but to condense the enumeration of dates, names, 

 localities, &c. It was obvious we might do our friend injustice by 

 publishing too much, as well as by publishing too little. 



Another question now arose. How was the information em- 

 bodied in these notes to be written out ? It was desirable to use, 

 as far as possible, the very words that Mr. Thompson had em- 

 ployed. The book should be his composition, not ours. Yet to 

 give to the world the hurried jottings of the moment, and the 

 unrevised memoranda of successive years, could not be thought of. 

 We knew how carefully the " Birds of Ireland" had been written, 

 and with what critical and fastidious nicety the proof-sheets had 

 been corrected by him, and that he had even availed himself of the 

 kindly criticism of two of his attached friends. We felt sure that 

 had he lived the present volume would have been an object of 

 equal solicitude ; and we thought that we might endeavour to do 

 what would have been done by him. It was agreed, therefore, that 

 detached memoranda might be united, that the facts observed by 



